


Behind His Eyes

by Rubien



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: (the omega kind), Abuse, Alpha Kylo Ren, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arranged Marriage, Brendol Hux Lives, Brendol Hux's A+ Parenting, Consensual Mind Control, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Extremely Dubious Consent, Humiliation, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Non-Consensual Groping, Objectification, Omega Armitage Hux, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Physical Abuse, Praise Kink, Sexism, Snoke Being a Dick, Snoke Ships It, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Violence, until he doesn't
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-04-07 02:39:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 32,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14071092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rubien/pseuds/Rubien
Summary: Armitage is closer to killing Brendol than ever. Popular with stormtroopers. Adored by officers. He's so close can hear feel him breathing down his neck.Fortunately, Brendol knows how to make a deal with the devil... Well, fortunately forhim.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to write this fic after I made a post about this on my tumblr (brooose-wayne.tumblr.com/post/172147148258) and it got lots of notes yesterday!  
> I truly hope I will be able to live up to the expectations and as always you are very welcome to leave kudos and comments.  
> Also, keep in mind that English is not my first language.  
> Have fun!

There is a huge, from ear to ear, smile on Brendol Hux’s face. He knows the officers coming around him or towards him to give him reports are nervous because of it. They are looking at him and quickly turning away. He doesn’t care.

Today is a day of victory for him. Today he just won a great battle. Not only he took down one of Resistance cruiser. Not only he’s been praised by Supreme Leader. No, he, convinced Supreme Leader to give him the best of his Knights.

Of course, Snoke doesn’t know that. Snoke probably thought that he’s doing Brendol a favor but the situation was the complete opposite. To the kriff with Snoke’s sorcery. He would never see Brendol coming.

He distantly hears the hissing of the main door. He doesn’t even need to turn around to know exactly who is that. Brendol hears the heavy steps and the air on the Bridge shifts with angry energy.

“Brendol!” the man says loudly, the voice coming from behind along with fast thuds of boots on the floor.

Brendol doesn’t bother to turn around, he knows what’s coming next. His body is pushed roughly by something invisible and he falls on the floor on his chest. It hurts but he only wants to laugh.

Everyone on the bridge is looking away because they know better than to stare. All except of one person.

Though Brendol hardly considers him that. When he looks at Kylo Ren, he sees an animal. The Knight is stomping towards him, slightly leaning forwards, shoulders wide and his fists clenched angrily.

“This is your doing, general,” Kylo hisses.

Brendol doesn’t hurry up with getting back on his feet. He has time. He has so much time right now. When he does eventually, he feels something squeezing his throat, cutting off his airways, without Kylo raising his hand.

It only makes him want to laugh. And he doesn’t even bother trying to hide his thoughts and emotions from the other man.

Upon realizing this, Kylo’s body goes even more rigid.

„I assume this idea was yours,“ he says, his voice shaking with fury and he’s standing too close to Brendol.

“Indeed, Red,” Brendol nods. “Supreme Leader Snoke is the one who thought the idea was brilliant though and he agreed.. as he told you.”

Kylo is staring at him from behind his helmet, his breathing is loud and heavy. Without him raising a hand, Brendol is pushed again and hits the console behind himself hard enough that it actually takes the air from his lungs. But he is too lost in his joy to properly registrate that. He’s just watching the Knight stomping away.

Brendol manages to catch his breath just when Kylo reaches the door. In that moment, he doesn’t care of what the others and his subordinates will think – he’s won and he’s going to let Ren know it.

He yells: “I’m looking forward your ceremony, Lord Ren!”

* * *

Hux’s heart is beating loudly in his chest, his hands are sweating and it’s taking more dedication to keep his back straight and proud. As he’s passing the stormtroopers and officers, he feels their looks on him. The way everything is quiet as long as he’s present tells him everything. They know. They all know.

He feels heat on his cheeks but hopes nobody notices.

Of course, his father would make sure everyone knew. He should have expected it. But he didn’t and now his plans are all changed.

After Brendol let him know about his engagement via a holocall, the first thing he did was to inform Phasma. For months they’ve been planning Brendol’s assassination, waiting for an opportunity to make it look like an accident. Now that Hux was to be serving on another ship, it would become more complicated. He needs to make sure Phasma stays on the same ship with Brendol, pulling as many strings as possible. As much as he would love to have Phasma on his side, she’ll be more useful with Brendol while the man still believed her to be loyal to him.

Hux would not let this to stop him from becoming a general and killing his father.

He gulps at the thought.

He’s met Kylo Ren a couple of times. He’s sure the man doesn’t remember him at all with how quickly he is to dispose of officers that are in his way. What Hux’s seen so far is not what he likes. Especially because he witnessed the man’s explosive, aggressive nature with lack of any self-control. He tried to stop him from killing an officer once. Without Ren moving from his place, Hux felt a tight grip of fingers on his throat. He hissed and kicked around with anger until he fell unconscious and woke up in the infirmary with his father at his side telling him what an incompetent fool he was.

Kylo Ren is a maniac who destroys ship equipment on daily basis, cannot control himself and an alpha to the bone.

His heart starts to beat louder in his ears and he wants to hide his face into his palms, the panic is grabbing at him with freezing, long fingers, digging right into his core. For so many years, he avoided any alpha that might want to get close to him, so many years he kept them away, and then thanks to his father, it’s gone. Just like that. He’s to be given to Ren like a piece of meat.

If Hux ever in his life decided to choose a mate, it would most certainly not be Ren. Not only he doesn’t want to have anything to do with the man and his sorcery, but there was a great chance that he was one of those alphas who don’t think omegas are good for anything else than making babies. He gulps at the thought that now, he’s to marry the man and give birth to his children.

Hux tries to ignore the fact that his father not only didn’t bother to let him know the news of his engagement personally but he also isn’t in the hangar to see his son out. Phasma is there though which is a bit of a assurance. Brendol sent her to make sure nothing ‚happens‘ to Hux there. Which is good for them.

She’s the definition of an alpha – standing tall and strong, looking in Hux’s direction. He would never admit it but he’s glad to see a familiar face in a place like this.

Nobody else is out of place. The troopers in hangar are the ones performing their duties. It’s like any other day and yet to Hux, it feels alien and unfamiliar. There is a twitch inside him that makes him want to go back to his, now former quarters, and hide under the blanket until he feels safe again. He ignores it as he always does. It’s nothing more than his traitorous omega nature. This all is just another obstacle. It made things harder but not unbeatable. He’ll become the general. This merely delays his progress.

“Captain Phasma,” he greets the woman after he gets close enough.

“Colonel Hux,” she nods and points towards the shuttle she’s standing next to. “All your belongings are in there. The ones to accompany you to the Finalizer are Lieutenant Mitaka and Opan.”

“Thank you, captain,” he nods. “You’re dismissed.”

Phasma returns the nod and walks away, her cloak is blown by the wind. Hux refuse to feel alone on that. He gets into the shuttle on shaky legs. Both lieutenants are in the cockpit, sitting at their seats until they notice Hux’s presence and give him salute.

Hux is only irritated by them. He wishes he would be allowed to travel alone.

“Don’t just stand there. Get us moving!” he snaps at them and for few seconds, watches them hastily getting into motion. Then, he turns on his heel and sits down on the bench.

The procedure is to fasten his seatbelt and keep still during the transportation. The truth is, he doesn’t give a fuck in that moment. He looks outside the window and gulps. Now that he’s alone without any looks upon him, he feels his heart slamming in his chest.  This whole thing happening, his engagement, it feels too big for his shoulders. He‘s never wanted any alpha in his life – sure, some of them are nice to look at but he never let any of them too close.And now, he’s to be married not only to an alpha, but to Kylo Ren whom he heard rumors about. Violent, uncontrollable, powerful and instinct-driven. And the rumors about his powers. Mind reading. Moving things without touching them.

It’s suddenly hard to breathe but he fights the urge to hide his face in his hands. He imagines that his father was the one to propose this to the Lord Ren. Now, Hux feels stupid for ignoring Snoke’s apprentice, he just seemed too irrelevant, just raw power without brain. If this is also his plan how to strike some sort of deal with Brendol.

He thinks what Kylo could offer to Brendol in exchange for Hux. He can only think of the fact that Kylo meets with Supreme Leader often. Perhaps Hux for a favor from the Supreme Leader?

The Finalizer is, for the occasion, close and in the matter of minutes, the shuttle lands in the other hangar. Of course, during his life, Hux served on a lot of ships. He was moved from one to other, his father probably hoping that would stop him from going up in the ranks, from talking to other officers that could help him. It didn’t and now Hux is holding better rank than anyone else in his age, not even alphas.

When Hux thinks about that, another image comes to his mind, much more terrifying. Him, laying on bed with his stomach big with a child, and cold sweat moves down his spine on that thought. Pregnancy would be very effective at stopping his ambition.

Even though Hux never had any intercourse with alphas, he doesn’t take any changes – he’s been on birth-control since his first heat.  He takes in a sharp breath. Supreme Leader approved of this marriage. He probably expects him to give birth to Lord Ren’s offspring.

Hux’s mind immediately comes to thinking about a way to prevent this.

Maybe Ren’s sorcery won’t be as bad as he thinks it will be. Maybe he will not be able to read Hux’s mind. He could take the pills secretly. Nobody would have to know. Or maybe Ren is one of those alphas who have no use for infertile omegas. First Order officially doesn’t discriminate against omegas. Everyone is equal. Everyone has their place. But Hux’s seen it - when Brendol’s wife couldn’t give him an heir, he started looking somewhere else. When high-ranked officers’ omegas didn’t give birth, they were disposed of in an accident.

Hux sighs quietly. He supposed he will just have to decide on his further plan after he meets Kylo Ren. His greatest disadvantage is that he doesn’t have enough information about how Kylo treats omegas. As far as Hux knows he only cares about the Force.

The shuttle keeps getting closer to the Finalizer, he feels the cage around his heart tightening, threatening to stop it altogether. He doesn’t give in to the feeling and looks into the jaws of danger anyway. He’s been on Finalizer before. It is one of the ships he would like to command. His father probably knew and made sure Hux stayed on the ship only so much he would be in love with it and then transferred.

The hangar is not that different from any other hangars but it’s more spacious and the fighters look sharper. Hux sees a welcome group near the place they are landing at but he doesn’t see that giant man in the black cloak and a helmet anywhere near.

He scowls. It seems that Lord Ren doesn’t think he should be at welcoming of his soon-to-be-mate. And even though a part of Hux is glad he can delay meeting the other man as far as possible, the rational part of him knows the sooner they meet, the better. He’s stepping into uncharted waters and the sooner he explores them the sooner he can come up with a plan how to deal with Ren.

Mitaka and Opan are both at his sides, holding theirs and Hux’s luggage as a stormtrooper is getting in the shuttle in their stead to move it to its place. The officers that are welcoming them are all of unfamiliar faces. Hux doesn’t like that because kriff-knows what Brendol could’ve spread about him.

“Colonel Hux,” one of them greets him. A short, dark-skinned woman with her hair in a tight ponytail. She looks serious and capable despite being very young. Hux decides to remember her name just in case he will need her. He tells himself that it’s not because she reminds him of Sloane.

“Welcome aboard the Finalizer,” she says firmly with a salute despite both of them being the same rank. “I am major Lauren. I’ll be your assistant for the first couple of days before you get settled in.”

Hux takes in her smell. She’s, unsurprisingly, beta. The redhead is glad though. Phasma is probably the only alpha he relies on. Opan is also capable but not as much as her.

“Thank you, major,” Hux says and salutes back.

“Let me take you to your quarters,” she offers and without waiting for an answer, she turns around on her heel and walks away. Hux follows her along with Mitaka and Opan. The other officers that were waiting with Lauren are walking with them.

Hux watches Lauren’s back, already knowing few things: First, Lauren came from stormtrooper program. It’s rare for someone like that to reach an officer rank but it happens – that’s why she didn’t give him her last name. Another thing – she is very dutiful, that’s why her posture is perfect and every hair on her is in its place. She wants to keep her officer rank at any cost.

Hux doesn’t smile. This dedication however honorable could be exploit to get her on his side.

She’s telling him about the ship and her layout of the deck and where is the bridge, who is of the highest rank on this ship and where the stormtroopers are situated.

Hux already knows all of this. He has memorized all the bigger ships but he listens to her anyway and doesn’t interrupt once. Occasionally, he just nods when she looks at him. He feels the other officers staring into his back. It makes his fists twitch with the urge to clench them. He doesn’t know if they are staring because he’s Brendol’s omega son or if it’s because he is to be married off to Ren. Either way, he wants to put them into an airlock and set them free.

“This will be your quarters, colonel,” Lauren suddenly says, stopping in her tracks – Hux almost slams into her.

This part of ship is close to the bridge and no stormtroopers are in sight. Lauren is staring at him for a few seconds before Hux realizes what she wants. He feels heat in his cheeks again and abruptly puts his card towards the lock. It glows with green and the main door open with a loud hiss. The other officers are in respectful distance while Lauren and Hux step inside.

The quarters are huge, much bigger than the ones Hux had – he is used to living in just one room for himself and that’s was luxurious enough. This place has entrance hall bedroom and two other doors. Hux images that one of them must lead to the refresher but the other ones he doesn’t know. The quarters look empty and unoccupied. The only indicator that gives away the fact that Hux is not the first and only occupant of this place is the messy, unfold bed that makes him wrinkle his nose in disgust.

Hux doesn’t need Lauren to say but she does anyway: “These are Lord Ren’s quarters.”

Her voice is mostly calm but there is just this tiny hint of excitement that tells him she’s in these rooms for the first time. Hux wonders if Ren lets anyone at all here. Probably not.

Lauren is still watching him so he gives her a nod. “When is my first shift?” he asks.

“You’re given two days to get used to your new accomodation,” she tells, her lips in a thin line and there is wrinkle between her eyebrows. “Then, you are to be report at bridge at 07:00 standard time.”

Hux frowns as well wondering if it was his father who provided those few days off. It only makes him seem incompetent. “Whose order was it for me to not report for duty right now?”

“General Brendol Hux’s, sir,” she says, the wrinkle between her eyebrows disappears now that she realizes this isn’t on Hux’s request.

Hux clenches his teeth. Now, he looks like a spoiled brat that expects favors from his father. The only good thing from this is that people here might assume that his father would do him some favors.

“You’re dismissed,” he tells Lauren.

She salutes and leaves Hux’s new home. He walks her out so he can take the little of his belongings. The officers that accompanied them on their way here are gone along with Mitaka and Opan except for one who hands Hux his luggage. He leaves with Lauren without another word.

When Hux is alone he feels panic grabbing at his throat. He shakes the feeling away and moves inside the quarters. There’s several cabinets but Hux decides it’s not a good idea to try to put his things anywhere without Ren present. The whole place reeks of him – strong, alpha and sweat. It fills his nostrils. Usually, he finds the natural smell of alphas nasty, leaving bad taste in his mouth but at rare times like now he doesn’t mind. While the smell is still alarming because it’s unknown alpha he finds it quite pleasant.

He scowls because that’s even worse than if the smell would be disgusting.

Hux thinks about putting his luggage on the bed but then puts it near a big chair. While the idea of showing Ren that he will not simply roll on his back with his belly up is appealing, irritating the alpha as the first thing he would do is not smart. The bed is his territory. Enough that he already has an intruder in his home.

Hux doesn’t even want to sit. It’s a basic instinct – not to relax in a territory of strange alpha. It’s also stupid. So, he sits down in the chair. It has barely any smell of the Ren on it and the leather also looks unused. He forces himself to relax because he will not be a slave to his instincts.

He waits there, in the chair without really doing anything for exactly five minutes before he feels like going crazy and grabs his datapad. There’s several public ship’s announcements, mostly about different maintenances. Hux is also listed on the announcement of new officers aboard.

The redhead stares at his picture and wants to throw the datapad away from how his hands are shaking. This just isn’t fair. Just few months and he would be promoted again and then have enough power to have Brendol killed. Of course, he was going to do it anyway but this would take much more time now that he doesn’t have him in his reach.

He doesn’t get the reports from the bridge automatically yet which is kind of frustrating. They probably want to leave this after his first shift but Hux is already itching with the need to do something.

Ren is still not in the quarters after several hours and Hux feels like he’s going mad. He just wishes this to be over with.

He’s considering going to the refresher to take a shower briefly when the main door opens. He looks in that direction so fast his neck twists at uncomfortable angle.

Kylo Ren is standing in the door looking exactly the same way he did every single time Hux’s seen him whether in person or on a holovid. The atmosphere in the room as if darkens in his presence, the light around him seems to be swallowed by his body as if he is a black hole. With every breath, his chests rises up and down noticeably and loudly.

Hux overcomes the urge to sink lower into the chair at this alpha’s simple presence in this room and climbs to his feet.

The alpha is set in the motion as well. The door closes behind him and he’s making his way towards Hux. The redhead is nicely surprised that he is almost as tall as the other man.

“I assume you are Kylo Ren,” Hux says and is incredibly relieved that his voice isn’t shaking. Also, on purpose he leaves the title of Lord out of way.

Ren doesn’t say anything, he just keeps going closer until their chest are inches away. Hux can feel the studying gaze on him through the helmet but he stares into the blackness where the eyes are supposed to be anyway. It’s not very smart to challenge an alpha like this – any good omega would probably look down and tilted his neck slightly to the side to show submission.

Hux refuses.

They are staring at each other for several seconds that feel like an eternity. Then Ren hisses behind the helmet and stomps away to one of the doors. Without any words, leaving Hux just there.

The moment the door slams behind Ren, Hux feels his knee go weak. There is sweat on his forehead and he lets himself sink into the chair, slowly because he doesn’t want the other man to hear it. He gulps, suddenly feeling exhausted. As if just by standing too close to him, Ren managed to suck his energy out.

He hears running water in the refresher soon and is surprised. He’s never used real, water shower. First Order deems it wasteful and while Hux knows Brendol has water shower, many officers officially condemn it.

Hux thinks about the reaction when he’s waiting. It’s not what he expected. He thought that the man would immediately get his hands on him, glad to finally have the goods that Brendol offered him. Instead, Ren looked angry and furious as if the simple look at Hux disgusted him.

It is slightly offending but more than that it’s a relief. If Ren is angry, it means he did not agree to this willingly and doesn‘t have any sort of deal with Brendol. Hux wouldn’t go as far as calling Ren potential ally but it looks like they have at least one enemy in common. More disturbing about this is that there is only one person who is in position of power over Ren that could order the Lord to marry Hux.

Brendol having connections with Supreme Leader himself is horrible and the thought makes Hux rub his temples.

It takes Ren only few minutes before the waters stops running. When the sound silences, Hux’s feels chilling at his spine and the sweat returns to his forehead. And only when Ren comes back into the room, he realizes that he’s never seen his face until now.

And that Ren is walking out of the shower still wearing that ridiculous robe of his.

Hux doesn’t know whether to laugh at him or to be relieved again that the man doesn’t want to fuck him.

He doesn’t say anything, just watches the other man as he takes the chair from the desk in the corner and puts it in front of Hux. The redhead had enough time to compose himself and when Kylo stares into his eyes (or so he imagines), he holds his gaze.

“Were you the one who came up with this idea?” Ren fires the question in harsh, dangerous tone with a hint of his alpha voice. No alpha’s voice is strong enough to truly control omega but they are at least suggestive.

And Hux shivers because Ren’s voice is very strong. He decides that he should try to speak truth.

“No,” he says. For a second, he hopes that the man is reading his mind like he’s heard he can do. Then, his heart starts to beat fast at the same thought. He doesn’t want anyone in his own head.

“I remember you,” Ren says suddenly and Hux actually cocks his eyebrows. “You’re the omega I almost killed.”

Hux can’t help but roll his eyes at being called ‘the omega’ and retorts: “Well that can’t be said for most of the officers that crossed you.”

Ren just stares at him through the helmet for few seconds and Hux can tell only by his clenched fist that his remark provoked him. When he speaks, it’s clear he wants to sound calm and collected but Hux hears the anger very clearly: “You’re right. Not many can say that.”

Silence falls between them. They are just staring at each other. Then, Ren rises up. The motion is fast and unexpected and Hux feels his body jerk on reflex. He hears Ren snorts at it and for the first time, Hux looks down. He immediately realizes his mistake and looks back up again but there’s something mocking in Ren’s posture. Maybe it’s the way he’s slightly leaning down or the way his head is tilted to the side but he knows who’s just won the silent fight for dominance of their conversation between them. Hux might as well lay down on the bed and roll on his back.

The redhead fels heat in his cheeks and ears, spreading like a wildfire. Now, he wants to dart his eyes away from Ren’s helmet even more than before.

The Knight chuckles again and turns on his heel. “You may sleep in the bed.”

Anger burbles in Hux’s stomach, the humiliation burning inside him. He may have lost the first battle with Ren but he will not yield so easily.

He jumps to his feet as well. He makes sure his voice is icy-cold as well as collected when he speaks: “Be careful, Ren.”

Hux doesn’t yell - there’s no need but Ren still looks over his shoulder. The redhead can’t let the opportunity slip away so he continues: “No matter what your plan is, I’m not going to make it easy for you.”

He spits those words like poison and hopes they sound as threatening as he intended.

Hux doesn’t find out though as the other man simply turns away and leaves the rooms. They are filled with silence again and Hux lets his body sink into the chair again, exhausted with his heart still beating loudly in his chest.

His hands are shaking and the redhead is not sure whether it’s because of the anger, exhaustion or the humiliation he just suffered. He doesn’t care where Ren has left as long as the man stays away from these rooms for now. There’s enough of his stench already.

He feels exhausted, though, and the only thing he wants to do right now is to sleep. He stares at the bed - unmade, messy and smelling more like Ren than anything else in the room. He knows he should unpack his things and put them somewhere to make this place at least slightly familiar for his idiotic instincts.

He doesn't do that and tells himself it’s not because he is scared that the alpha might get angry at him for violate his territory.

Instead, Hux leans back in the chair and leans down against the headrest. He closes his eyes and soon falls into uneasy sleep with visions of Kylo striking him down and laughing in his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as you may've noticed, I added a few tags ;)  
> Anyway, I truly haven't expected so many kudos for just one chapter! you guys made me so happy! I truly hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well! so please leave me kudos if you wanna and comments. They mean a world to me :)  
> Btw, if you feel like I need to add any tag at any point, please, tell me.

Ren doesn’t come to the room that night. Hux’s sleeping lasts only shortly but that’s no surprise. He’s used to waking up every few hours and at the lightest sounds. When he was a child, Brendol often found an excuse to pull him out of the bed unexpectedly at night. For Hux’s own good, of course.

Tonight though, falling asleep again is harder and waking up is more often. It’s probably the fact that he’s in an unfamiliar place that smells like a strange alpha. Occasionally, he checks his datapad, mostly to see what time it is. Nobody messaged him.

It’s one of those rare moments in his life where he has nothing to do and he desperately needs something to focus on because his mind keeps going back to that alpha he will marry.

When it’s 06:00 standard time, he gets up from the chair. He desperately wants to go to the bridge to report for his shift- he feels like he can’t stay here alone a second longer. He didn’t shower last night and knows he needs to desperately get one.

Feeling like a fool, he looks behind his shoulder on the front door Ren left the room through several hours ago. He takes a deep breath - he  _ does not  _ need to ask Ren permission to use the refresher, he thinks to himself. These are his quarters now, too.

That actually reminds him of the second door, right next to the one next to the refresher. He doesn’t know where it could lead and it’s starting to bug at his mind. Sure, it could be just a closet but Ren doesn’t look like a type to have such a big place for clothes. In fact, he’s always wearing the same robe.

Hux stands in front of the refresher door but stares at the other one. His heartbeat fastens for some reason and there is a twitch in his hand to reach for the door and enter whatever is inside. Illogically, he feels danger seeping from the place to the wall around the door. But it’s also thrilling.

“You can’t go through that door!”

The growl makes Hux’s skin crawl and his hands jerk. He turns around and sees Kylo Ren standing in the main door. He’s still wearing his robe with the helmet covering his face. His hands are clenched in fists and his breathing is loud even through the mask; Hux doesn’t need to be a genius to know he’s angry.

The order Kylo Ren’s just given him is colored with the alpha voice and Hux feels the urge in his spine to distance himself from the door as soon as possible.

Instead, he only shifts slightly, putting more of his weight on the foot that’s closer to the door and scowls. Alpha voices can affects omega but they can’t fully control them anymore unless they are extremely exhausted or in very bad mental shape. Of course, Hux heard about the mind-tricks people like Ren could do. But Hux fortunately doesn’t feel docile or compliant.

“As far as I know, these quarters are mine as well now, aren’t they?”

Hux says that mostly because he wants to show Ren he will not let him push around however the Knight likes. He needs to test the boundaries between them, needs to know how tight the imaginary rope around his neck is and try to loosen it shall it be too tight.

Hux simply needs space to maneuver on with all his future plans. He doesn’t really want to go through the door that bad. Even though he would like to take a glimpse at Ren’s secrets, he isn’t that curious about what a sorcerer like him could hide. As far as Hux knows, the man only cares for his Force and not the actually important things.

Ren takes several steps towards him until he’s almost close enough for their chests to touch. He stares down at Hux through his helmet. His scent is all around Hux, heavy with the promise of violence. A small of him, in the darkest corner of his mind finds it arousing in a very lewd way. He’s never let any other alpha as close, they’ve never dared.

He shakes off the urge to take a step back and stares at the place where he’s sure Ren’s eyes are. He’s actually glad Ren is wearing the helmet as it makes it easier. Though, the man is still quite aggressive-looking.

“That room is off limits for you,” Ren points at the door, his hand is shaking violently. Hux glances down and notices that Ren’s hands are big, even for an alpha. He can’t decide if he finds the lack of Ren’s control over something as simple as his hands pathetic or amusing. A small part of him finds those hands arousing. He decides on pathetic instead.

“Just because you say so, I’m just to leave it alone. You don’t get to decide what I do,” Hux wrinkles his nose and clenches his fists. He’s preparing himself for the possible blow the man might throw at him but it doesn’t come.

Instead, he is being pushed against the door, his back hitting it so hard it takes his breath away for several seconds. Ren doesn’t even raise a hand. 

“I don’t care what you do or don’t do,” Ren steps closer again, trapping Hux against the door. “This may be your quarters now. I might be your mate soon. But that door will stay closed for you. If you’ll just touch it, not even your father will be able to protect you.”

For a short second, Hux forgets himself and laughs loudly – if the Knight thinks Brendol would do anything to protect him, he’s a fool. He seems to be taken aback by Hux‘s reaction, though, as he tilts his head to the side and leans slightly away from him.

The redhead recovers hopefully fast enough for Ren to realize that Hux has no real protection – if Ren thinks Hux has any sort of power to defend himself or to even stand at the same ground as him, it’s only beneficial.

“If that stupid room is all you care for, you can have it,” Hux spits those words, trying to ignore the shaking in his legs and the coldness that’s spreading through his body. He’s better than being scared by just being pushed a little by an alpha. Whatever powers he might have.

Ren simply grunts in acknowledgement, turns around and sits down in the chair that Hux’s been sleeping on. It boils in Hux’s guts because it was the only thing in this room that felt untouched by him.

“You were going to refresher, weren’t you?” Ren says impatiently. “I don’t have all day.”

Hux gets the hint and without saying another word, he disappears in the room. He thought he would feel better with the wall and door between him and Ren but his heart is still beating loudly in his ears.

He lets his hands touch the sink, it’s cold under his fingers and it manages to ground him a bit. He doesn’t lean down, just stands there for a few seconds to catch his breath. He would never admit it but he wishes Phasma was on the same ship as him. It’s good to have Opan and Mitaka here but Phasma is… Phasma.

Eventually, he lets the water run, catches some of it in his palms and splashes it across his face. He wants to take a proper shower but there is the known primal fear of the unfamiliar alpha in the other room. He doesn’t even return to the room to take his toothbrush from one of the bags. He doesn’t want to be in the same room as Ren for more than he has to.

So, he just splashes his face and rinses his mouth with water because at least something and then leaves the refresher.

To his surprise, Ren is already gone. Hux frowns and looks over the room one more but Ren is truly gone. Then, he hears it. The whispers. He stops in his tracks for several seconds, just like rabbits do when they spot a predator, confused and scared. Next, he realizes that the whispers are coming from the other door. He takes one step closer to the room, then thinks better of it.

Hux already tested his and Ren’s boundaries and it probably wasn’t a good idea to provoke him so soon again. So, instead, he quickly walks to his bags and takes out some things for his hygiene and doesn’t forget the toothbrush.

In the refresher, he’s quick and fast, especially in the shower. He knows the lock he put on the door would not be enough to stop Ren if he just decided to take what’s his. The hot water is amazing though and he wishes he could stay there forever.

Once he’s done though, he doesn’t waste any more time and dries himself with the towel. He fully dresses himself and then goes back to the main room. Ren is still not there.

And because Hux desperately needs  _ anything  _ to do anywhere away from the other man, he leaves the quarters and heads for the canteen. It’s hard to ignore all the looks people are giving to him and his messy hair. For once, Hux is grateful that he doesn’t have any special powers like Ren does because he doesn’t want to know what these people think of him.

* * *

 

The two days Hux have before he has to report for duty on the bridge are agonizingly slow. He and Ren doesn’t talk, in fact the Knight barely acknowledges him again and he spends very little time in the quarters. Hux doesn’t know what he’s doing in his free time but as long as he doesn’t need to spend time with him, he’s contented.

Hux still avoids the bed. He doesn’t want to even touch it so he sleeps on the chair. It’s uncomfortable but it’s preferable over the soft silk that smells like Ren. He’s glad enough that Ren doesn’t force him to sleep there after he ‘offered’ it to him the first night.

The evening the second night, before Hux has to report for duty, Ren returns to the quarters. Hux is already in his chair, working on his project that he calls Starkiller in his head, when the door open. He immediately locks his datapad up and looks over his shoulder.

Ren is walking inside the room slowly. He’s still wearing that robe and helmet of his and even though Hux made sure as much of his skin is covered with nightclothes, he feels very underdressed.

He watches Ren carefully and notices that there is still the aggressive way he’s always carrying himself with, he’s somehow sluggish. It’s that when he realizes that even monster like Ren need sleep and god knows what he’s been doing the nights Hux was sleeping here.

He watches the bed longingly and Hux sneers.

“Do you wear that thing even when you go to sleep?” he asks tauntingly because whether he likes it or not, he’s curious.

Ren turns around and looks at him without saying a word.

“If you want to go to sleep, go to sleep,” Hux tells him, rolling his eyes before pretending to be focusing on reading on his datapad. “Unless you’re scared to sleep with me here, of course.”

Hux looks up for a moment. He sees Ren shifts his weight nervously. It feels like a victory, like Hux is finally gaining sort of control in this strange, forced relationship.

He can almost see the moment when the Knight decides to give him to the taunt. His shoulders relax, just slightly, as if in defeat. Then, he disappears in the refresher.

Hux hears the running water but tries to focus on the reports he finally received about the Resistance and Finalizer. But it’s hard to focus when the alpha whose face is actually sort of legend between First Order’s officers and stormtroopers is probably naked, taking a shower in the next room.

While the redhead is curious himself, he never really bothered to engage in those rumors. He always thought about Ren as about this animal, a beast driven by its emotion, not a real human. It only makes the impact Ren’s reveal all that greater when the man finally returns to the room.

He’s not beautiful or handsome in traditional way, his nose is too big, his face is covered with moles and his ears stand out but he still looks somehow appealing. His features are roughly pleasing - like an actual beast. It fits him. The kind of animalistic appeal. Also, he has really fucking nice hair.

But Hux doesn’t stare for too long. Ren is wearing only pants and Hux feels heat in his ears at the sight of the muscular chest and broad shoulders. He curses himself for thinking like that because the alpha is still a threat however pleasing for eyes he looks.

With his head tilted slightly down to avoid direct eye contact - not because he feels submissive but because he doesn’t want Ren to think he’s eyeing him and bring his mind to sex - and he looks at Ren. He’s surprised to see that Ren is actually avoiding eye contact as well. Hux watches him only for several seconds. Ren doesn’t look as sure of himself as he does without the helmet which is good. When he notices that Hux is looking at him though he holds his gaze and despite himself, Hux lowers his gaze before he can get lost in his dark eyes.

That unfortunately seems to boost up Ren’s ego a bit and his spine straightens. Once again, he walks with his typical, alpha grace to the bed and slips under the covers.

By then, Hux is looking back in his datapad again.

They don’t exchange a single word.

* * *

 

Hux is glad when the alarm wakes him up the next morning. Even without the tea that he usually takes as first thing in the morning, he feels full of energy. Perhaps at the prospective of finally getting out of these damned quarters. Even though his neck hurts and sends waves of pain into his head from sleeping in the chair, he’s still glad.

Ren is already gone which is unsettling because Hux prides himself with being woken up by the slightest sounds and the Knight doesn’t appear to be in the refresher either.

Hux takes the opportunity to actually take a shower. The hot water streaming in his hair, on his neck and back actually takes some of the headache away with it.

He doesn’t let the heat take away the thoughts of his responsibilities, though. With limbs heavy with tiredness and anxiety, he stops the stream and steps out of the shower. He doesn’t waste much of his time with drying his skin of the water, the headache getting slightly stronger again.

Hux puts on his uniform and watches his reflection in the mirror for a while. When he’s satisfied with how he looks and the face on his features, he leaves the refresher. Ren is still nowhere to be seen and Hux quickly exists their quarters.

The hallway is mostly empty except for two droids that are tidying. Hux straightens his back, puts his hands behind his back in proud gesture and finally walks away from the quarters. His legs are still heavy though and he feels as if an invisible chain is tied to his ankles, tight and unforgiving, and while he can go away to some point, he is still chained there, he can’t get away.

He finds his way to the bridge easily, already studied the plan of the ship as closely as he could. You never know when you’ll be needing all the passages.

As he is walking through the main office with many lower officers, they are watching him. They try to be subtle about it but Hux can feel their gazes and sees how they look away when he meets their eyes with an icy glare.

He’s standing in front of the door to the bridge, his hand raised to put in his access code when he feels shiver go down his spine. Hux’s never considered himself spiritual, for most of his life, he didn’t even believe in the Force and the things the users could do. Right now, though, he feels the presence behind him – radiating dangerously like a black hole that’s swallowing all the sounds.

He turns around and surely, Kylo Ren is only few steps away. He looks huge, even in that ridiculous robe of his. Hux realizes the reason for silence is that most of the present officers are staring at him. This is the first interaction between Hux and Kylo anyone has ever seen. The first impression of the nature of their relationship.

Hux can’t afford being seen as someone without control over this but he also knows if he pushes Ren too far, the man will snap and they will all see how helpless Hux really is. He feels something squeezing his chest, letting out the breath from his lungs and stopping him from taking it back. It’s a panic-rising feeling and he fights it with all his might. He can’t let them see.

By the time Ren is standing in front of him, he manages to take in a breath. But suffocation would be preferable over the irritating alpha smell Hux is breathing in in that moment.

“What’s the matter?” he asks, trying to dull his sharp, irritated tone.

“Supreme Leader wishes to see you,” Kylo says, his voice full of anger and rage that Hux does not understand.

The sentence fills Hux with strange mixture of feelings – fear, pride, hope, uncertainty. All of these are going through Hux’s head while he’s trying to chase after them and stop them before Ren can notice.

He desperately tries not to look surprised. “Of course,” he says, relieved that his voice doesn’t come out weak.

Ren doesn’t say anything else, he turns on his heel and leaves. It takes Hux several seconds before he realizes the Knight wants him to follow. He anxiously looks over his shoulder, on the door leading to bridge before his sense reminds him that what Supreme Leader thinks and wants is far more important than being at duty on time.

A very tiny part of him is disappointed that Supreme Leader Snoke will not be meeting him personally, though Hux supposes it makes sense. Supremacy is far away and personal meeting can’t happen at this very moment. It makes Hux consider whether Snoke will even be there for the bonding ceremony that’s supposed to happen in a few days.

Just thinking about the ceremony makes Hux’s stomach twist in discomfort.

Hux barely manages to catch up with Ren, the man is taking large, fast steps through the hallways but soon enough, he is at his side. Hux makes sure his back is straight and that his gaze is confident because people are staring. Even more than usual.

Seeing the young colonel, son of the general Brandol Hux, walking with his soon-to-be-mate seems to be very interesting. Most of those people have the respect (or fear) to look away when Hux gives them cold glare. It’s a small comfort but comfort nothenless.

Hux feels a thrill going through him when he realizes that Ren is taking him to the conference room where it’s usually only the ship’s captains and higher-ranked officials allowed in. It’s the room for holo-conferences with Supreme Leader himself.

The redhead can’t decide whether he’s excited that Snoke will address him directly or if he’s terrified.

Now, he regrets that he didn’t bother with covering the dark-circles under his eyes with makeup. Then, he scolds himself because of course something as silly as the blackness under his eyes will probably be the least concern of the Supreme Leader.

It’s different than any of the other conference rooms Hux’s ever been in. The floor is black, polished and smooth, the ceiling is so high up that giant could fit in. There are no chairs, no tables. Just the passage leading towards a colossal throne.

It’s cold, dark and inhospitable. Hux can hear his every step.

He glances to the Knight on his side. Ren seems to be walking with confidence of someone who is not here for the first time. He doesn’t look at Hux at all.

When they stand in front of the throne, Ren bows and bends in his knees. For a very short second, Hux just stares. It feels so unreal for such a powerful beast of an alpha to be kneeling for everyone and as much as it is fascinating, it feels wrong.

Then, Hux remembers himself and does the same as the Knight. He never particularly loved kneeling, bowing or even saluting to higher-ranked officers but knowing that Ren has to do the same makes it feel slightly more tolerable.

The moment his knee hits the hard floor, the projection appears.

For a moment, Hux wants to laugh because the way Snoke feels the need to make himself bigger, to make himself a giant to them in that stupid throne, is ridiculous. Everyone knows who Snoke is. Everyone knows what he’s capable of. If he feels like he needs to remind them this, perhaps he is not as sure of himself as he should be.

Hux innerly scolds himself for his traitorous thoughts. This man has the power to destroy him, literally and metaphorically speaking. And he is his leader.

Snoke is wearing long golden robe, his head is hideously mutilated, bald and the eyes that are staring at Hux are dark and chilly. The redhead doesn’t consider Ren’s eyes to be dark anymore. He wishes again that he would be facing the Supreme Leader personally. He can’t smell anything and there is a spark of curiosity inside him what secondary gender the Supreme Leader is.

A smile that doesn’t make Snoke look any more appealing spreads across his lips.

“It’s good to see my apprentice’s met with his mate,” Snoke says, his voice loud through the room, making Hux’s ribcage tremble with the power of it.

The redhead doesn’t know what to say for a second. He settles on simple: “Supreme Leader,” before he bows his head even lower.

“Come closer, little omega.”

Hux feels heat in his cheeks – he’s always felt cheap and humiliated when someone felt the need to remind him of his secondary gender. He’s getting up from his position to comply though.

But clearly, it’s not fast enough. He feels invisible force around his waist and neck pulling him closer to the projection like a magnet. A yelp escapes his mouth before he can stop it and he hits the floor hard, right beneath Snoke’s feet like a dirty dog.

He clenches his teeth, his stomach boiling with anger. It takes all of his self-control not to look up and glare angrily at the Supreme Leader. Instead, he rolls from his stomach back onto the kneeling position. He feels the stares on him and tries not to be humiliated. Brendol used to do far worse to him.

None of it was in front of the Supreme Leader himself or his future mate, though, the unhelpful voice inside his head says.

Then, he feels the invisible hand again, though this time, he is not pushed. Instead, the hand travels on his skinny hips onto his stomach. He wants to curl up, to crawl away, but not only he knows defying Snoke is a bad idea but his body is frozen in place. He couldn’t move no matter what, no matter how discomforting and distressing this wandering hand is as it squeezes his skin, valuing him as if he’s nothing but a breeding mare.

“Your father seems to overvalued you,” Snoke tells him, his black eyes piercing through Hux, digging into his soul and stealing his every secret. “Told me about how wide your hips are, perfect for giving birth when you are a skinny thing. You seem to a bit older than is preferable, and you’re far more feisty than he promised you to be. But there’s intelligence in you. You’ll do for my apprentice. Perhaps, he shall even have fun taming you and showing you your place.”

Hux’s ears and cheeks are red, his lower lip is surely trembling and his insides are burning. He’s never felt so humiliated in his entire life and surely Brendol was trying.

“Thank you, Supreme Leader.” He’s glad to find out his voice sounds confident.

He doesn’t know if the voice itself was enough though as Snoke chuckles. It’s an ugly sound that rings through Hux’s ribcage.

“Look at me, Colonel Hux.”

Hux’s eyes are heavy and tearing his gaze away from the floor under Snoke’s teeth is almost painful but he looks up.

“I expect you to give my apprentice an heir. Soon and healthy,” the man tells him as if Hux is in control of such things, as if First Order isn’t pretending to be a modern society where alphas, betas and omegas are equal, as if he’s nothing beyond his gender.

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” is what he says instead, the words leaving bitter taste on his mouth.

Snoke doesn’t say anything else and his projection disappears almost as soon as it appeared.

Hux’s cheeks are still burning. As if the floor he’s kneeling on would be on fire, he stands up quickly. When he turns around, he sees that Ren is still getting on his own feet. Because Hux isn’t sure he can hold his composure, he passes him before the Knight can get up and heads for the door. A wave of soothing relief washes over him when Ren doesn’t stop him. The broken part of him is even grateful to the man for not bending Hux even further than Snoke has.

The main door doesn’t open. It stays as it is and however big the shrine of Snoke Hux currently is standing in, he can swear it’s getting smaller around him and Kylo 

The main door is closed. Hux’s hand shakes as he’s trying to dial his code in. The display glows in red in denial. He gulps. The steps Ren is taking behind him are loud to his ears and as he’s getting closer, they are almost drown out with the sound of Hux’s own heartbeat in his ears as it keeps hammering in his chest.

He doesn’t give in to the panic and puts in his personal code again this time each movement of his fingers precise as if his life is depending on it. Still, the door doesn’t open.

The redhead just stands there. He feels Ren’s gaze on the back of his neck. Even though he knows he should turn around and look the Knight in the eye because he knows it’s never clever to have your back turned to a predator, he can’t. His feet are stuck in their place, his palms are sweating. The room feels cold.

“What’s the matter, colonel?” Ren’s tone is dangerously sweet, the voice coming straight from behind Hux’s ear. The redhead knows that Ren is actually only an inch or two taller than him but in that moment, the alpha feels to towering over him. “Are you perhaps regretting some of your life decisions?”

Even though Hux is still terrified, this seems to break the spell of his frozen body as he turns sharply around and resists the urge to step back when he finds that he and Ren are so close that their chests almost touch. Instead, he looks up and stares into the blackness of Ren’s mask.

He knows he should be glad that Ren still thinks this is all his doing, that he’s powerful enough through the connections to his father that he is able to arrange a marriage with someone like Ren.

“If we’re done here,” he tells Ren in confident voice. “I need to report to bridge for my duties.”

The Knight eyes him for several long seconds. Then, he leaned closer to Hux, reaching for the display to put in his code. Their bodies touch. For only a second, he feels Ren’s much more mascular, hard chest against his own, warm with life and his breath mingles with the one coming from behind the mask. It’s only this little movement, this little feeling of the alpha’s chest on his own that makes him break. He lowers his gaze like a good omega bitch this man wants him to be and takes a step back in submission.

The hissing of the door seem to wake Hux up from his trance but it’s already too late. Even when he looks back up and stands firmly on his feet, Ren’s head is slightly tilted in a mocking gesture.

“Good boy,” Ren says, his voice sweet and purring like a wild cat spotting a bird – it sends a shiver don Hux’s spine. His smell is filling Hux’s lungs and he distantly realizes he doesn’t only smell after the typical masculine alpha scent but he can also smell caf and something that reminds him of peppermint.

The redhead just stares at Ren, ignoring more heat in his cheeks and how his fists are clenching in cold anger while the humiliation is burning him from the inside. He wants to take the mask off Ren and punch him until the ugly nose of his loses his shape, until Hux’s fingers are broken.

It’s the only moment he hopes Ren to read his mind, just so the Knight knows exactly what he wants to do to him, how much he wants him to suffer.

He wants to tell Ren to fuck off but bites his tongue because he knows he can’t make a scene here in the hallway, he can imagine the gossips, and also because he knows Ren would punish him for it.

So, Hux just turns on his heels and walks away. He doesn’t even care if he’s going to the bridge, he just needs to get away from the alpha. When he’s sure the man is not following him, he finds the closest refresher. There are two other omegas there, just being lazy and leaning against the sinks. Hux stares them down. Fortunately, they are quick enough to leave before he can focus on their nametags.

Hux makes sure he’s completely alone there before he lets himself to lean over the sink. His legs are shaky, his knees feel weak and he needs the additional support. His heart is hammering so loudly in his chest that the sound almost suffocates him. It’s been many, many years since he felt this powerless and helpless. He thought he grew up from panic attacks long time ago but this situation, this fucking nightmare is gripping on him, trying to drag him down.

He can’t let it. The redhead squeezes his eyes shut and desperately focuses on pushing those feelings away, deep inside of him where everything dark goes.

When he opens his eyes again, he wants to throw something at his reflection. The lines under his eyes are dark and deep, he looks like he lost some weight, his cheeks are sunken and the wrists are more thin than they’ve ever been. He looks absolutely horrible. He supposes he should be glad as the more unappealing he looks, the less likely is that Ren will enjoy their inevitable intercourse.

He straightens his back and pulls himself together. When Hux leaves the refresher, he is sure no one could tell anything is wrong.The redhead refuses to acknowledge the words ‘good boy’ still ringing in his mind, awaking long lost thirst for praise and the fact that despite it’s been meant to mock him, it sent shiver of pleasure down his spine. He’s almost forgotten what’s it like to be praised by an alpha.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again guys! I come here with an update that   
> I just wanted to inform you that Hux may be colonel which is above captain in military, captain (especially of a ship) is on the same around position in navy/fleet (or I think so, but idk, I’m not an expert) so that’s why captain canady is technically above Hux.  
> Also you might notice that I added a few more tags (again) so read with caution. That being said I just wanted to say I mean that while Kylo’s and Hux’s relationship isn’t in the perfect place right now, things will get better :)  
> Anyway, please enjoy and leave me a kudos and comment if you wanna :)

Hux thought his day could not get any worse. He was wrong. So. Wrong.

Walking and pretending he’s alright is surprisingly easy although he supposes it’s partly because this is what he’s been doing for most of his life. His father would never let him show there was anything wrong with their happy little family, especially since some officers used to laugh at him for accepting a bastard son. They also laughed at his own omega wife who never gave Brendol an heir. And of course, they laughed at Hux. Almost all of them are dead by now.

Some officers still look at him but he feels like their staring is getting less annoying, perhaps because he’s been here for a couple of days and they’ve had the time to take a good look at him, gossip around and move on.

It’s how it always has been. Hux knows from his own experience.

He wishes the same thing could happen when he finally reaches the bridge. Instead, most of the heads still turn towards him. They stare openly and unashamed and he can swear at least one beta is smirking before her gaze returns to her screen. Hux wants to know her name so he knows who to get rid off next right after his situation gets better.

It’s actually a nice surprise to see Opan there, sitting by one of the front desks. Opan is smart enough to stare at Hux but not too much - just like all the others. Canady is standing close to him, right in front of the front windshield staring into the black and stars. He is probably the only one who doesn’t bother to look over his shoulder at Hux.

Which only assures the redhead that Canady knows very well he’s there. He thinks that perhaps Canady had him watched through the cameras around the ship.

Hux knows there’s usually no cameras in the refreshers – be it omegas, betas or alphas – but the possibility the man has seen his little breakdown just few minutes ago still makes his heartbeat speed up slightly before Hux’s common sense settles back in and destroys the thought.

Hux follows the protocol and walks to the man, his back straight and with unreadable expression on his face. He salutes before he greets. “Captain Canady. Colonel Armitage Hux reporting for duty.”

Hux finds Canady as unappealing as an alpha can get and it has nothing to do with his looks. Well, almost nothing. From what Hux heard and read about him, he’s lazy, coward and has a soft spot for little omegas. Although not in the good sense -  on his ships, omegas are practically nonexistent in his high-command team. He makes the ranking ladder for them almost impossible to climb, the only way is to perform sexual favors. And still, sometimes the omegas are fooled and then flooded into space. Of course, none of that is on the official records.

In the safety of his own mind, Hux calls him a sexist pig. On Canady’s only defence, though, he can be actually capable. If he wasn’t, he would never make it as far as he did.

Hux didn’t expect much from meeting with this alpha but a part of his still boils with helpless anger when the man doesn’t bother to return the salute and instead just continues to stare at the stars.

But because Hux can’t be disrespectful he bites the inside of his cheek until he feels blood on his tongue and waits for the old fuck to acknowledge him. It’s a long tiring waiting game. It makes anger boil inside Hux, mingling with humiliation of being left to wait for the man to be so kind to tell him anything.

Hux can feel the stares again. He doesn’t know if he just imagines i tor if he’s actually hearing someone chuckle from far away. It still brings heat to his ears.

After several minutes, Canady speaks. His voice is deep and he’s trying to hide any emotions. “Colonel Hux, at ease.”

Hux lets his body relax but not too much. Even though Canady is truly trying to sound calm and undisturbed, the redhead hears his distaste and bitterness in his voice. He is not glad to have Hux on the ship.

Good, because Hux doesn’t like being here either.

“I hope you are settling in well,” Canady speaks again. Now, he keeps his voice low as if he’s scared other officers might be listening to their conversation. Hux knows they are.

“I am,” Hux lies smoothly. “Thank you for asking, captain. You’re very kind.”

Canady raises his hand to silence Hux promptly even though the redhead is already finished with his sentence. “Let’s not exchange the small talk and stupid pleasantries. I know why you are here.”

Hux bites the inner of his cheek again. It’s been Canady who started the small talk and now he complains? He can’t help but to mock, though. Just a little.

“I know you know. I came here to report for my duty, captain,” he keeps his voice docile and way too submissive for it to be real.

To his satisfaction, anger flares in Canady’s eyes at his cockiness. He takes a step closer to Hux in intimidating gesture. A burst of laugh is building inside of Hux, threatening to come up on the surface but Hux pushes it down. He can’t let himself laugh in Canady’s face no matter how funny the alpha looked trying to look dangerous. Some time ago, Hux probably wouldn’t find it funny, he would be scared. Now though, he can’t help but to compare this man to Ren and it is laughable – Canady is short, overweight and without any magical tricks up his sleeves. Now that he’s faced Kylo Ren, this tiny man is pathetic.

Hux doesn’t move, isn’t feeling even remotely threatened by this alpha.

The redhead’s reaction seems to make him uneasy. He frowns angrily and leans even closer. Once more, Hux doesn’t even flinch and holds Canady’s gaze effortlessly.

“Your father told me everything,” Canady breathes on Hux – he still isn’t scary but the breath makes Hux’s stomach twitch and wrinkle his nose. Fortunately, Canady misinterprets this as a sign that the redhead is scared. “Oh, yes. He told me about your plan to marry the tricks-obsessed fool and take away my ship. It’s not going to happen, boy. And don’t even think for one second that the freak is going to protect you. He will not be with you all the time, if you try anything. Remember that.”

If anyone else would be in Hux’s situation, he would laugh at them. He almost wants to laugh at himself – completely alone on this strange ship except for Mitaka and Opan. His right hand is on the ship of his father. The captain of Finalizer thinks he convinced Ren into marrying him in his rise for power. Ren thinks he convinced Snoke and Brendol in marrying him in his rise of power. All of them except for perhaps Brendol think he’s protected by someone when really, right now, Hux knows he is as vulnerable as a little cub whose mother wandered off.

If he makes any sort of mistake, the little protective bubble around him will be burst and they all will jump at Hux like vultures.

He doesn’t say anything. Canady stares at him for one more minute before he points out to a desk in the corner. “That’ll be your workplace, Colonel. Get to work. Enough that you’ve already arrived late.”

Hux doesn’t bother explaining to him that he’s been on a meeting with the Supreme Leader himself, the memory still making him chill. Instead, he just salutes again and gets to work.

Without doubt, Canady chose his place on purpose. It’s in the corner, solitary without any other officers anywhere near him. Hux manages to exchange a look with Opan. It’s far more comforting than it has any right to be – Opan is just a tool. But maybe it’s the stupid part of Hux that’s too glad to see a non-hostile face on this damned ship. It makes him wonder where Mitaka is. Maybe, he’s just working another shift.

There are piles of datapads on Hux’s desks and so many messages in his comm that he’s sure he won’t get through them all by the end of his shift today. It’s reports from across the whole ships, incidents, errors in the systems, fails and other reports from other ships.

Hux is sure that Canady just made a sort of secretary of him with this, giving him many tasks that are beneath a colonel. Hux does them anyway. He knows that patience will bring him his victory eventually.

Working calms him down a little but that isn’t completely good thing. He can feel his headache properly now, throbbing through his head with dull pain. His limbs, now without the adrenaline rush, feel weak and heavy and even though he very much enjoys having something to do, something to focus on besides the unfamiliarity and danger around him, he wishes he could just get some proper sleep.

Just as he thought, he is not finished with the reports when another omega comes to take his place in the corner. She’s as young as he is with dark circles under her eyes. She watches him not with curiosity like others do but with distrust. Hux realizes that she‘ probably the only other omega with the spot on the bridge. He thinks about all the things she’s had to done to get in this place with Canady as the captain.

Hux makes sure he sees the name on her nametag and promises himself to look up into her. Anyone, who’s willing to do so many things, to go through such hardship to get on the bridge might be worth investigating. Whether she would turn out to be an enemy or an ally, he would later decide what to do with her.

Canady is not on the bridge anymore by the time Hux passes her all the information.

His stomach is growling with hunger but he doesn’t want to eat, lacks the appetite for anything. Also, he doesn’t want to feel the stares on him even though they wouldn’t be as intense anymore. He heads straight back to his quarters, the halls are empty and every time a lower officer salutes him, he ignores it. He can’t give a damn at the moment, he just feels tired.

Ren is not in the quarters again which is unsurprising but fortunate for what Hux is about to do. He kicks off his boots and while almost always, he takes his time with undressing and then folding every piece of clothes of his, he just lets them fall under the bed as he lets his body sink into the sheets, face down.

He’s not even fully on the bed, his feet still touching the floor, but he doesn’t care in the moment. Closing his eyes eases the headache slightly. The bed is surprisingly soft and Hux is actually surprised how comfortable his body is with letting its guard down in the bed that smells exactly like Ren.

With every breath, he inhales the scent, lets it fill his lungs because he can’t bring himself to do something as simple as to move his head to the side so the scent gets at least a bit weaker. He falls asleep like that – face down, feet on the floor, wearing still his uniform and atop of the blankets.

It feels as if the moment he closes his eyes, he is woken up again by a loud bump somewhere in the room. His heart is racing in that moment and he opens the eyes. The headache is almost gone but he still feel a pressure in the back of his head.

He searches the room with his eyes for the intruder and any sign of danger. Ren is in the main door, removing his helmet. Hux freezes for a second. He must look like a mess – his hair are all over the place. Quickly, he pulls himself together and sits up on the bed. He doesn’t understand what the loud noise was until he sees that Ren shoved few of Hux’s datapads on the ground.

Ren must’ve done it simply to wake Hux up. It’s childish and irritating but Hux is glad he is awake. He wouldn’t want to be sleeping with the alpha creeping around the room.

“I see you enjoy the bed,” Ren points out, his deep voice sending shivers down Hux’s spine even without the indication of his words. “I s it comfy for a little omega?”

“It is my bed as well as yours, is it not?” Hux retorts cheekily because he doesn’t like being called small. His position on Ren’s bed makes him feel like a good meal on a silver plate.

Ren grins, his teeth look much sharper and with more rows than those of a normal human. But Hux knows that’s just his fear and imagination playing games on him. “If you think you’re gonna enjoy it for much more, think again.”

It’s a threat as well as a promise.

Hux feels his ears burning but he scoffs and daringly lays back on the bed. He makes sure Ren is within his field of vision though, watching for any indication of an attack. Ren grits his teeth and then, there’s pressure around Hux’s neck, threatening to crush his bones and cutting off the air.

A painful whine escapes Hux’s lips before he can kill it and his hands involuntarily move up to his neck as if that was the way to stop it.

“I will show you your place, omega,” Ren tells him. “I will not be a piece of chess in your game.”

Hux wants to laugh because really, Ren has done a pretty good job so far on Brendol’s chessboard. There must be something in his eyes or perhaps on the surface of the redhead’s mind because Ren sees it and it makes him wild. He narrows his eyes, his nostrils widen and the grip on Hux’s throat tightens. Unlike Canady, this alpha looks like violence embodied. Hux admits to himself that it’s slightly, just slightly, fascinating.

He’s on the verge of passing out, his vision starts to darken when the grip disappears. As he breathes in, loving the feeling of air filling his lungs, his headache comes back again.

With the corner of his eye, he notices Ren stamping closer. He feels his body freeze again as the man is getting closer and closer to the bed. His heart is hammering against his ribcage. Hux resists the urge to wraps the blankets around himself. They were never enough to hide him from Brendol and they will not hide him from Ren either.

He hears the boots stop right at the edge of the bed. Brendol used to tell Hux that he was never smart enough to pick his own battles, to just bow his head and take the punishment. That never changed and Hux looks up to stare at Ren with challenge. Brendol never broke him and he will not let this freak in a mask do that either.

The Knight stares at him, his eyes dark and cold. “You should’ve thought about this plan of yours sooner, Colonel Hux.”

Hux doesn’t say anything, just stares at Ren, trying to keep his breathing even. After a few seconds that feels like an eternity, Ren huffs mocking and goes into the refresher.

The redhead can breathe again but he knows he will not be able to sleep in the bed anymore with the alpha so enar him. He gets off the bed and scolds himself when he sees his boots, disregarded on the ground. He puts them in their place and when he hears water from the refresher, he hastily changes his clothes and folds his uniform aside.

He returns to his chair and sits there. He listens to the water running in the other room and when the sound silences, he tenses up. The redhead watches Ren’s every move as the alpha, now wearing only pants, comes back to the bedroom. He gives Hux icy glare before he, in relaxed manner, lays down on the bed, exactly in the spot where Hux’s been before and hides under the covers.

Hux manages to relax again only when Ren orders the lights to turn off and he can hear his breathing even with sleep. He still doesn’t sleep very well.

Since then, Hux and Ren don’t talk. It’s a mystery, what Ren does with his day because while he occasionally comes to the bridge, he’s not there very often and when, he only seems to fight with Canady. It’s the only real entertainment in Hux’s time – watching the two alphas he hates fight.

During one of these occasions, Ren stops abruptly in his speech and turns to stare at him.

He always wears his helmet outside their quarters which is fascination and Hux thinks whether the man is anxious about his looks.

But with each day passing, Hux gets more and more nervous. He has no idea what his wedding is going to be like. Nobody acknowledged the thing. Snoke doesn’t want to speak with him again, Ren never bothers to say anything and the life on the ship just goes as it’s always gone.

The day before he knows the ceremony is planned for, he comes to the bridge as he does every day. Canady is on his usual spot – in front of the windshield, looking outside into the space, doing absolutely nothing and leaving all the paperwork to the lower officers. But today, he’s not alone.

It’s true, that in the last couple of days, the Finalizer has been travelling side by side with Brendol’s ship but Hux didn’t expect the man to actually come here. Especially since he didn’t hear about this from Phasma at all – it was too dangerous for them to be in touch too often, but she was sending him short, coded messages about Brendol and what’s he been up to.

A part of Hux wants to turn away and head right back to his quarters. But he knows, he can’t.

He pretends as if nothing is amiss, as if his heart isn’t hammering inside his chest, and heads straight to his spot, trying not to be tip-toeing.

Just as expected, Brendol turns around and looks at him. Hux feels suddenly watched. Brendol has to look at the videos from the hallways to see him coming.

“Colonel,” Brendol calls for him. Just hearing his voice makes Hux grit his teeth to the point where his jaw hurts. “Come here. Have a chat with us.”

Hux obeys. He walks to the two alphas. When he’s in front of them, he salutes.

Brendol places his hand on his shoulder. “It’s good to see you, son,” he tells him, squeezing his shoulder painful.

Hux doesn’t flinch. He nods politely and says. “It’s good to see you, too, father.”

The older alpha grins widely. „I see you came to your shift even the day before wedding.“

“You raised him well,” Canady tells him, his voice too sweet - an obvious lie.

“Thank you,” Hux says obediently. He hates how they both are staring at him. When they don’t speak, he says: “And thank you, father, for coming for the ceremony.”

He wishes the man would stay on his damned ship.

“It’s no problem boy!” Brendol laughs, not letting go of Hux’s shoulder. “It doesn’t happen often that you see your little omega boy getting married to one of the most powerful alphas in the galaxy. Oh, boy, I can’t even imagine what the marriage to Lord Ren will be like. You must be very… excited.”

Hux clenches his fists. He wants to punch this man so bad. Instead, he decides to bluff. With a smirk on his lips, he says: “It indeed is, father.  Lord Ren is very powerful and I can’t wait to be his mate. At first I was a bit worried about his and mine compatibility but after few nights we found out that we are… a perfect match.”

His father doesn’t look certain but there is a shadow of real fear in his eyes that makes Hux’s cold heart flutter with joy. Canady’s face on the other hand turns deep red. The lie was so much worth it.

“You may return to your station,” Canady tells him loudly.

Hux salutes again and gets back to work. Right now, that is his only escape even when he can feel Brendol and Canady looking in his direction.

Returning back to his and Ren’s quarters feels wrong and scary. What’s even more scarier is the fact that Ren is already there, wearing only pants and tight shirt. He’s sitting on the bed and Hux thinks he looks as bad as the redhead feels himself – his normally perfect-looking hair are strangely greasy and there are dark circles under his eyes. He’s scowling darkly at Hux when the man enters the door.

The Knight’s look makes Hux stop the moment he enters the room. For a moment, they are staring at each other. Then, the door hissing behind Hux’s back as it closes. The sound makes the redhead gulp and Ren to narrow his eyes even more.

“Come here,” he orders, pointing with his hand on the floor right in front of him.

Hux knows this game – it makes him feel like a little boy again after disappointing his father and the man would demand for little Armitage to come to him for his punishments. He beat up Hux eventually into doing it but that’s been a long time ago and Hux isn’t someone who would willingly take a beating. No matter how dangerous an alpha may sound. He knows that whatever Ren him to come closer for will be much worse than any of his childhood punishments.

He grits his teeth. “No,” he says and is proud of how confident his voice is.

Ren, though, isn’t impressed. He clenches his teeth and the line between his eyebrows deepens.

“Come. Here.”

This time, Hux doesn’t back down. “No,” he repeats.

Danger flares behind Ren’s eyes and that’s the only warning Hux gets before he is swept off his feet by an invisible force and he finds himself flying towards the other man until he’s practically on the bed with Ren’s fingers tightening around his neck.

His hand is surprisingly hot.

“I will not be disobeyed by someone like you!” Ren yells, his lower lip trembling and his eyes furious. “You’re nothing but a force-mute fool!!”

Even with the lack of air in his lungs, Hux manages to croak a weak: “Fuck you.”

Hux’s world turns upside down, literally, as he is thrown on the bed. Even with man growling at him before, even with him using the Force on him, even with the memory of hiding in closet from his father, Hux feels like he hasn’t felt real terror until this very moment. When Ren and his giant body is towering above him, pressing him into the mattress with the expression of a wild beast on his face, Hux can’t breathe and it has nothing to do with the fingers around his throat.

Ren’s lips twist into something that resembles a smile but there are too many teeth. “Fuck me, omega?” Ren snarls. “I’m going to fuck you tomorrow, on our wedding night. And I’m gonna make sure you hate every single second of it.”

Hux’s heart is hammering loudly in his chest. He feels the cold sweat on his forehead as he feels the cold hands of panic all over him. When he kicks Ren into his side, it feels like this all is happening to someone else, it feels distant but he knows he’s right there and he needs to get away.

He hears the Knight above him grunt in pain and then in anger again before he puts his other hand on Hux’s neck and squeezes so hard Hux actually feels like he might break his neck. His body is still fighting even though the rational part of Hux knows that this will only get rid of the little oxygen he has faster. He’s trying to hit Ren with his fists, successful on several occasions and he’s trying to get his legs from under the alpha so he could kick him again. But his vision goes darker and darker.

Suddenly, the pressure is gone. The air burns in Hux’s lungs and he coughs violently as he’s trying to get it all in. While his body is still shaking with the cough, Ren grabs him by his chin.

“That’s your father,” is what Ren says.

Hux just stares at him without any idea what the man is talking about. The fingers on Hux’s chin squeeze and suddenly, the redhead wants to obey whatever Ren is saying even when he’s got no idea.

“Go to the door, it’s your father there!” Ren repeats.

Hux just nods the panic only slightly going away. Much later, he tells himself how foolish it is to listen to the man blindly, to not even take a look at how he looks - with bruises around his neck and his eyes wide.

Yet, he climbs out of the bed as if it is on fire and goes to the door. He notices that Ren disappears inside the room Hux is forbidden from going in.

When he opens the door, he realizes what a mistake he made.

His father is indeed standing there. The first expression on his face, is shock. Then, as the door behind Hux closes, Brendol’s lips twist into a smile even uglier than Ren’s. His gaze lowers to Hux’s neck and to his, undoubtedly, messy hair and he even stops at Hux’s widen eyes.

“Well, Armitage, it seems that your claim that you and Ren are a true match was… overestimated, wasn’t it?” Brendol says in a cheerful voice.

Hux knows that the battle, his disadvantage is lost but he tries to desperately save it anyway. “Why do you think so? Perhaps this is something we both enjoy.”

“Oh, Armie,” Brendol smiles and his hand slowly, just so slowly, moves to Hux’s neck to mimic Ren’s. Hux can’t help it and feels his body flinch. He feels cold. “Lying isn’t one of your strong ability.” Wrong. “And even you are not so sick to enjoy something like this, are you?” What the fuck does he know.

Perhaps it’s the fear still rooted inside his chest but in that moment, Hux can only see red. He leans closer to Brendol and grabs him by the hem on his uniform, his grip surprisingly strong. He looks into Brendol eyes deep, his face twisted with rage because this is his fault.

He hisses: “I’ll make you sorry for this, Brendol!”

When the older man smirks, Hux grabs him with the other hand as well and shakes with him violently. “I’ll kill you!”

Hux feels foolish but he can’t stop himself. Then, Brendol’s smirk freezes on his face and his gaze moves behind his son.

Gulping, Hux looks behind his shoulder. Surely, Ren is standing there, so close his chest almost touches Hux’s back and the man freezes for a second in panic again. He’s standing there, between two powerful alphas, both of whom he hates and they hate him.

Fortunately, it seems that they hate each other as well. Although Hux supposed being the omega standing between two alphas who hate each other is not very safe and Hux is shaken enough to quickly get out of their way instead of casually stepping aside like he’d normally do. He takes few steps aside before he stops himself from going away completely.

So, he just stands there and watches Ren and Brendol staring at each other for several seconds. It’s clear from the way Ren is staring Brendol down that he doesn’t even consider him a real opponent.

“Is there a problem, general?” he asks, stepping even closer. Watching him tower over Brendol’s slightly smaller frame is strangely satisfying.

“Not at all, Lord Ren,” Brendol shakes his head. “I was just talking to my son before his great day. Surely you understand.”

Ren doesn’t say anything. He just continues to stare at Brendol, giving him the same, hateful stare he gave Hux himself just few minutes ago. It sends chills of horror down his spine and before Hux thinks better of it, he turns on his heel and goes away. After few steps, he thinks about how stupid it is – his neck is red and his hair are still messy. But it’s too late to go back. He doesn’t even want to.

The hall behind him is silent and he has no idea what the alphas are doing. When he’s going around the corner he glances back. Both, Brendol and Ren are gone.

Just breathing through his nose is difficult for the several following minutes and he’s grateful that nobody is in the omega restrooms at this hour. He sits on one of the toilet bowls and stays there for several minutes, until he’s breathing normally again. His whole body is still shaking. He remembers the last time he was feeling like this was during one of his first nights with him. After the man took him from his mother and Hux wet his bed. Brendol beat him. In general, it’s one of Hux’s first memories.

The redhead shakes his head as if that would shake the memory out of his head. Finally, he’s calm enough to leave the restrooms but he almost wishes he could stay here in the restrooms for the rest of the night. For the end of eternity. Just away from Ren and Brendol.

But he can’t. He’s never been a quitter and he’s not going give up now. All he feels now that the panic is over is hot, consuming anger. He clenches his fists.

He’s gotta kill Brendol and deal with Ren as soon as possible.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is another chapter! I finished it a bit sooner than I thought I would and it's also a bit longer than usually sooo... I just hope you enjoy! If you do, please leave kudos and a comment :)

When Hux returns to the room, it feels even more hostile around him than before and he doesn’t even want to return to the chair because it’s still too close to bed. The only good thing is that Ren is not there and he doesn’t even seem to be in the refresher.

The redhead uses the opportunity to head there, grabbing his night-clothes on the way. His own reflection in the mirror almost startles him. He’s pale, his pupils are still blown and just as he thought, the bruises in the shape of Ren’s gloved fingers are all over his neck, marking him in red.

He can’t help but feel violated.

Hux lowers his gaze because looking at himself makes his stomach twist. He moves to the shower corner and lets the water wash away as much of the dirtiness he feels on his skin as it can. It’s not much.

The redhead stays in the shower much longer than he would normally allow himself but now, he can’t bring himself to care. He blew big card he was trying to hide from Brendol and while it’s not completely ruining his plans (as he still has Phasma) it’s still not very good.

He pretends it’s the only reason he’s shaken, that it has nothing to do with Ren threatening him with their wedding night.

He forces himself to turn off the water and dry himself. Thank the stars, Ren is not in the room. Hux avoids the bed like it’s on fire and goes to his chair. He feels the primitive need in himself to curl up in a ball there and wrap himself in blanket. He simply sits there and stares at the ceiling because there is no away for him to fall asleep no matter how much his eyes are burning from tiredness.

Ren doesn’t return to their quarters at all. The day doesn’t feel any different than any other of Hux’s damned days – there isn’t any announcement by Supreme Leader or even Canady and the only information he’s got in his datapad was to expect Lauren to pick him up.

The redhead’s never really wanted a mate – all he could ever think of when someone mentioned a bond was his father which is sort of ironic because Brendol’s treated his own mate much better than he’s ever treated his omega son. Still though, Brendol’s wife was more of an object to him, something to show-off, than anything else.

Hux is not and will never be an object. If Ren believes any differently, he’s a fool. And fools pay for their stupidity.

In the morning, someone rings the door. In the first second, Hux freezes, his panicky mind thinking it might be Ren. Then, his rational part kicks in, and he relaxes, just a bit. He stands up and walks to the door. Lauren’s dutiful face is on the screen. He tells her to wait while he puts on some clothes. He makes sure that his neck is hidden under the collar but he knows it will not cover the bruises completely.

She salutes him when he opens the door. She takes only quick glance on Hux’s bruises before she looks him in the eyes again and ignores the neck completely.

“Colonel Hux,” she says. “I will accompany you today. Please follow me.”

Hux appreciates that she doesn’t try to exchange the small talk – she just turns around and leads him through the hallways. They are full of officers at this hour and even though it’s Hux’s ‚great‘ day most of them seem to lose their interests in him and ignore him completely. Only few of them pay attention to the redhead and those few stare at his bruises.

She takes him near the stock with the uniforms. There are no officers there, only droids.

“Supreme Leader gave direct orders about what you’re supposed to wear on this day,” Lauren informs him as she heads to the reception and the droid behind it. “We’re here for Colonel Armitage Hux’s special dress, code JE-15078.”

The droid disappears behind the door leading to the storage and returns with plastic bag. At first, Hux thinks it’s a white bag but then, to his horror, he realizes the clothes itself is white.

He feels his face growing red in the humiliation. White is just not the color of the First Order officers. It’s the color of simple Stormtroopers who are all the same. No officer wants to wear it. Hux wonders who is responsible for it – his father, Snoke or Ren himself. Then he decides it’s still better than some other options – much more revealing clothes. At least on this, everyone will be able to see a rank. That he’s more than just an omega.

“The fitting room is over there, Colonel,” the doid informs him and points towards a small door. It’s a miracle they still have those, really, because usually, the First Order takes one’s measures precisely every few months so they always have fitting uniform.

He takes his wedding clothes to the room. It’s small and uncomfortable and Hux’s heart is beating hard in his chest as he’s changing. Unsurprisingly, it fits him perfectly – the tight, white pants that are held up with a golden belt, the jacket with golden buttons and golden epaulettes on his shoulders.There’s also a cloak with golden sign of the First Order and with golden hem. It looks beautiful and so clean Hux almost doesn’t want to touch it.

If it was meant for some other omega and Hux wouldn’t be a member of First Order, he would have considered this to be beautiful. Even he himself admits it looks good on him. But, it makes the bruises on his neck too visible and he can’t imagine Ren marking him in this – that’s why, usually, omega’s wedding dress reveal at least one shoulder. So the alpha can bite them and claim them by biting them in the crook of the neck. It is a barbaric practice (at least for Hux) that has no other than ceremonial meaning. It’s considered a good luck if the alpha always keeps the mark fresh. The redhead remembers Brendol’s omega always being mark and wearing it with pride.

Just the image of Ren’s teeth sinking into Hux’s skin make the redhead flinch. The only other thing that’s ridiculous is the tiara that’s meant for Hux’s hair. It’s white, in the shapes of linked leaves and golden marbles like pearls. Hux looks too much… like an omega with it on his head and when he looks in the mirror, he feels fragile.

He looks very… omega-like with the tiara in his hair. A small part of him likes it and the way it all makes him look pretty. The real part of him wants to grab it and threw it on the mirror.

Hux knows he can’t. So, instead of destroying that piece of garbage, the redhead nervously makes sure everything on him is smooth and perfect (well, as perfect as he can be with those bruises on his neck) before leaving the fitting room and going back to Lauren.

Hux always wanted to be a beta – they don’t go through heats or ruts, they don’t have the stigma of being the submissive gender or the dominant gender. They were workers simple as that and while Hux doesn’t doubt they have their own problems because sometimes omegas and alphas look at them when their partners are not betas as well. For a time, Hux wanted to be an alpha as well but after all his father ever done to him, he finds alphas mostly repulsing. The only alpha he truly, ever came to respect was Rae Sloane. She was one of a kind.

Lauren is a perfect example of what a capable beta can achieve – she worked through ranks from Stormtrooper into a capable officer. She takes a quick glance at Hux, from the head to the toe. Her eyes widen, just a little, before she remembers herself and puts on her usual neutral expression. It’s a bit flattering.

He feels ridiculous the moment he steps out of the room, though. His white clothes is almost shining in the darkness of the ship.

The droid doesn’t say anything, clearly, it’s satisfied with Hux taking the clothes. Lauren on the other hand nods and tells him: “The ceremony will take place in Supreme Leader’s room, Colonel.”

The giant, black room with tall ceiling scares Hux. So many people could fit in. So many witnesses of his humiliation.

“Who is going to attend?” just asking the question makes Hux’s hands sweat.

Lauren looks at him as if he grew a second head, as if it’s weird that he doesn’t know who’s going to be on his own wedding.

“Permission to ask freely,” she says and for the first time, it’s with hesitation coloring her voice.

Hux doesn’t like to give this permission. They are not friends and will never be. They both have their place in the First Order and that should never change or be ignored.Yet, Lauren is one of the less hostile people here. So, even knowing it’s wrong and despising himself just a little, Hux says: “Yes, major.” Just to remind her that she’s bellow him.

“Yesterday, when I was on my way to your quarters, I met General Brendol Hux. He insisted on carrying the message and datapad with the details about today and the schedule of the wedding.”

Hux thinks about his escape from the quarters and being stuck between Ren and Brendol. He refuses to flinch. Instead, he focuses on the beta in front of him who is watching him carefully.

“Perhaps he’s gotten busy with some more serious issue,” he tells her. “Is the schedule complicated?”

Lauren doesn’t seem very relieved. “I don’t think it is, sir. The ceremony itself will start in 3 hours. Your fiance is probably at the site already but I need to take you back to your quarters where a make-up artists will be waiting for you,” Hux feels his cheeks burn. This is ridiculous – he knows many omegas or betas do it but he never put any makeup on his face and doesn’t plan on starting now. “After that, we will leave for the ceremony itself. Ren will be waiting at the altar. The monk will basically take care of everything else, all you have to say is ‘I do.‘“

Hux almost laughs at that. Of course, he  _ has to _ say it.

“After that there is only the great dinner in the mess hall. You can leave whenever you and your mate feel like it.“

The redhead feels slightly dizzy at the thought. He supposes he will have to do everything he can to delay going back to their quarters.

“Thank you, major Lauren,” Hux tells her. “You’ve been mostly helpful so far.”

Hux knows that with most of the officers that ranked up from stormtroopers, there is one thing they all have in common. They are desperate for compliments from higher ranked officers. When an officers praise them, they don’t have to fear conditioning.

Lauren is not an exception it seems as the corners of her lips curled up. She simply nods.

Hux goes back to the fitting room to change back. It would be useless to walk around in his wedding uniform when he clearly still needs to get his makeup done. The thought fills him with bitterness.

As he is undressing himself, he notices he has a message on his datapad. He reaches for it quickly. His eyes move as he’s reading the lines and his heart starts to hammer in his chest. For the first time since he got the news that he’s supposed to marry Kylo Ren, it’s from excitement and nervous energy.

The message is from Phasma and he deletes it right after he reads it even though it’s been sent on a secret channel that nobody except for them has access to. Hux puts down the datapad and thinks, trying to overcome the joy to think rationally.

What Phasma says is that he’s popular now with a lot of officers and when his father held a meeting with the Command Council, she managed to bribe some of the security guards that were - both of them separately and they both said that the Command Council didn’t seem to be convinced that Hux is not fit to move up in the ranks. On the opposite. All because Hux has a good reputation.

Combined with the fact that Hux is, or at least was, before all this mess happened, popular with other low rank officers, now would be the best time to present Snoke with his plans for Finalizer. Because as much as Hux would like to, he can’t kill Brendol until he convinces Snoke to give him the position after Brendol. If Hux does it now, Snoke will probably just give it to another capable officer.

Hux needs to show the Supreme Leader that he is the most capable as soon as possible. He feels a sting of shame when he realizes that during this week on this damn ship, he hasn’t been working on his Starkiller project at all. That needs to change.

Another complication that scares him the most is the limited time he has. He can’t expect Snoke to give him the promotion when he’ll be heavy with Ren’s bastards. And his next heat will be in two months. Hux takes in a deep breath to calm himself.

If Snoke wants an offspring for Ren, maybe he won’t want to give Hux the position at all because he will want Hux to be the perfect mother for the kid. And kriff, what if Snoke will want him to give more than only one child to Ren. The idea of waiting to kill Brendol for  _ years  _ is unbearable. Hux is patient, he wouldn’t have got so far in his life if he wasn’t able to wait for the right moment to strike, but after everything he’s done, everything he’s been through, he can’t wait that longer.

He will kill Brendol in those two months. He’s gotta take the chances no matter what happens. The man needs to die.

A knock on the door pulls him from his thoughts. “Colonel Hux?”

“I’ll be finished shortly,” he says loudly enough for Lauren to hear him. She doesn’t say anything more and patiently waits for him to change and fold his wedding clothes back into the bag.

Together, they head back to Hux’s quarters. Stars know where Ren is at the time and how he is preparing  himself for the wedding but as Lauren said, the makeup artist is waiting for Hux in the room.

He‘s a beta and he doesn’t even bother with introducing himself. He’s put plastic cover on the floor under an unfamiliar chair he probably brought here. Still, it’s a stranger and when Hux gets closer and smells that the beta is closer to an alpha rather than omega on the beta spectrum, it irritates him to no end.

After Hux changes into the wedding uniform in the bathroom, the beta tells him to sit down without any pretence of politeness. The redhead gives him a icy look before he complies. With the corner of his eye, he sees Lauren’s lips to curl up slightly. She is standing in attention though, doesn’t ask if she can sit down and there is a twitch in her eyes. She wants to look around the room because it’s Lord Ren’s quarters. But she doesn’t.

Hux decides that it would definitely be good to keep her close. He doesn’t really listen to what the man is saying as he’s working on his hair since the moment the man tells him that he should take better care of his looks. Because it’s bullshit.

When the beta reaches for scissors, though, Hux grabs him by the hand. “I don’t need a haircut.”

“But, sir, your hair-”

“Don’t cut my hair,“ Hux repeats and squeezes the grip on the other man’s wrist. The redhead smirks slightly when the other man hisses.

The beta jerks his hand away from Hux and glares at him but Hux couldn’t care less. He knows it’s petty of him but he doesn’t want any sort of haircut at the moment. Brendol always forced military styles on Hux. The moment the redhead was in position to get away with it, he let his hair grown. Not too much but enough to spite Brendol.

Hux has to admit, the beta is actually capable with his hands. On Hux’s request, he makes it light and manages to accentuate his cheekbones. When the beta moves to him with lipstick and eyeshadow, he tells him to put it away again. It’s clear that the artist doesn’t enjoy this at all, his jaws is clenched even though his hands remain steady as he is working on the redhead.

Even without a haircut, the beta manages to put the tiara in Hux’s hair and play with it until it looks almost natural there. If Hux wasn’t so terrified of what he knows is going to happen, he would probably even admire his work.

The beta, despite being irritated, looks like he’s satisfied as well. After he lets Hux get up, he holds out the long cape. Hux hates turning his back to someone he doesn’t know when they are standing so close, let alone touch him, but now, he doesn’t have any choice but to endure it. The cape feels heavy on his shoulders and it’s so long it touches the floor.

“Is this to your liking, Colonel Hux?” the makeup artist asks when the redhead moves towards the mirror.

Hux bites the inside of his cheek. His hair stands out against the white and gold, his cheekbones look sharper than usually, and the layers of clothes make him look less skinny. Hux thinks perhaps if this was a different time, he wasn’t who he was and he was going to marry a different person, this would be the look he would prefer.

Hux realizes the beta is still waiting for an answer.

“It’ll do,” is what he says, secretly enjoying the way the man scowls at him for his words.

Without saying goodbye, the makeup artists leaves. Hux is still looking at his reflection in the mirror while Lauren waits patiently by the side.

Hux fixes his gaze on his neck. The beta paid special attention to it. The redhead gulps and when he’s sure Lauren is not looking at him, he touches it gingerly. It’s still sore even if it isn’t visible under the layers and layers of makeup. It’s a good cover. Everyone except for a few individuals will know it’s there.

How many marks he’ll have by the end of tonight is a different story. He takes in a deep breath, ignoring the image hsi head came up with. Bloody red on the pure white and gold and screaming.

He turns around to look at Lauren and lies: “I’m ready. When does the ceremony start?”

The beta looks at her watches before she answers. “We have about 30 minutes, sir. I think it would be ideal to go there slightly sooner. I’ve been commed that they are ready so maybe we could start the ceremony slightly sooner.”

That actually reminds Hux. “Will the ceremony be broadcasted?”

“No, sir,” Lauren shakes her head. “General Hux proposed it to be, saying it would boost the morale but Supreme Leader was strongly against it. Saying it would only distract the troops.”

Well, Hux thinks, at least something.

“Let’s go,” he says and turns around. The cloak waves behind him. It’s ridiculous and Hux loves it.

Lauren follows him without a word.

The moment Hux steps outside the quarters though, his legs feel heavy and his palms are starting to sweat. He manages to stand with his back straight though.

The officers that are on duty are watching him when he passes them but quickly enough they return to their duties.

For a second, Hux thinks about his mother. He doesn’t have a memory of her – more of a memory of a memory. He knows she had hair of the same color as him. Knows she had soft hands despite working hard every day. For a second, he thinks what she would have thought about this.

He pushes the thought immediately into the back of his mind. She’s dead. It doesn’t matter.

When they stand in front of the door to the conference room, Hux feels like he’s about to faint. He looks over to Lauren, she has her hand on the communicator in her ear. He waits for her when she listens.

“They are ready for you,” Lauren says. To his shock, there is a hint of sympathy in her voice.

Hux doesn’t know if she allowed it to be there willingly or if it something that slipped into her voice. Either way, it makes him grit his teeth and give her a hard look.

She has the decency to look ashamed as she opens the door for him.

The hall which was empty and scary the first time Hux was here looks even more terrifying now that there is more people. The ceiling is still impractically high. There isn't as many people as Hux thought there would be. He can only see his father and a few more high-rank officers. Snoke’s hologram is on his giant throne and he’s watching Hux with unhidden interest. There aren’t any special decorations. The place is simple and plain as it was before. No flowers. Only the black and fires by the lane.

There are twelve unknown figures, they stand by the lane leading to the altar. They are all dressed in black and all their faces are hidden behind capes and masks, their robes touching gently the floor.

Kylo Ren is standing in front of the altar. At first, Hux doesn’t notice anything different about his robe. Then, he realizes that it’s the first time his helmet is amiss. It’s probably what makes him shift his weight on his feet so much. Then, he realizes that he’s not wearing a robe at all. Instead, he has simple but expensive-looking jacket, tight pants and high boots. He’s wearing a similar cloak to Hux’s but without the First Order sign on it’s back and there are no traces of gold color, but the inner of the cloak is deep red.

Hux is actually surprised how handsomely the alpha is looking.

When the omega takes a the first step into the room, his leg feels heavy. he lets the anger from Lauren pitying him fuel him as he walks down the lane. Everyone is staring at him as he’s taking one step after another. The lane still feels too short when he gets on the other side.

Hux doesn’t know the creature standing behind the altar. It’s tall and covered with long robes, even it’s face.

It’s the most ridiculous thing Hux’s ever seen. As if hearing Hux’s thought - and perhaps he did - Ren gives him a sharp look and growls. Hux would love to say he’s not scared but what comes to his mind is actually that he shouldn’t be irritate Ren on their wedding night.

“Let the ceremony begin,” Snoke says with a twisted smirk on his lips.

There is a second of heavy silence before Ren turns his back towards the small crowd behind him and Hux and offers his elbow to Hux. The omega notices that the Knight’s jaw is clench and his muscles are tense just by the look.

Hux gulps involuntarily before he also turns around to face the ridiculous creature and delicately hooks his elbow at Ren’s. Even from under the white gloves Hux is wearing, he can feel the heat of Ren’s body and the way the man is shaking. But it looks like it’s more from rage and distaste than anything else.

Their monk or whatever the creature is pulls him away from his thoughts with surprisingly deep voice. “Lord Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux. Have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?”

It’s so cliché and false that Hux actually rolls his eyes. To his horror though, Ren gives him a glance when he sees that and regards him with unreadable expression.

“We do,” Ren’s voice is surprisingly polite and calm. It’s probably the first time Hux hears him talk in this way and the deepeness is actually very nice.

The omega realizes it’s his turn to speak. “We do,” he repeats.

“Are you, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?”

Hux doesn’t need to roll his eyes this time because it’s actually Snoke who laughs out loud. The sound is loud and is perfect filling the huge room, there isn’t a single corner where Hux could escape from that laugh. The humiliation of the act turns Hux’s ears red and makes Ren look at the ground as he says: “We do.”

Hux obediently repeats.

“You may now say your vows.”

Hux blink several times. Lauren didn’t say anything about vows and he didn’t prepare anything at all. Sharply, he looks at Ren.

The alpha is staring at him and once again, even though he is only so slightly taller than Hux, it feels like he is towering above him. He turns to face Hux completely, the omega lets his hand slip from Ren’s elbow for that. The Knight took him by his hand. The touch is surprisingly gentle for someone so violent and once again Hux can’t help but shiver. The memory of the same hands on his throat it still fresh in his mind.

“I, Kylo Ren,” the alpha speaks again in calm voice. He pauses there though and grits his teeth together so hard Hux can actually hear it grinding. “Submit to you, Armitage Hux, and accept you for my husband and mate. I pledge I shall keep only love, respect and devotion towards you, that I shall never leave you and that I will carry all the things good and bad by your side till the death takes me.”

Snoke is still laughing.

Hux’s always read about what alphas, crazy for their little omegas said or messages to them but he’s never been on the receiving end of those - most likely because he would have the alpha skinned alive for that - but to have Ren look at him with those dark, deep eyes, is almost too much in that moment especially when he knows this all will go away behind the closed door.

People are staring because he’s quiet for too long, he knows. Even Ren squeezes his hand but not hard enough to bruise. Not yet, anyway.

And because truly, he didn’t prepare any sort of wedding vow, he just borrows Ren’s words. He’s always had a good memory. 

“I, Armitage Hux,” he says, trying not to sound too delicate or soft and failing rather miserably.. “Submit to you, Kylo Ren, and accept you for my husband and my mate. I pledge I shall keep only love, respect and devotion towards you, that I shall never leave you and that I will carry all the things good and bad by your side till the death takes me.”

There’s a spark of something Hux doesn’t recognize in Ren’s eyes.

Their priest speaks again, his voice pulling the omega from his thoughts: “Lord Kylo Ren, do you take Armitage Hux as your mate and husband?”

“I do,” Ren doesn’t even hesitate.

“Armitage Hux, do you take Lord Kylo Ren as your mate and husband?”

The omega looks Ren in the eye. The other man is watching him with harsh look, his grip on Hux’s hand tight and there is a hard squeeze on Hux hand again when he stays quiet for too long. But while Ren demands him to give the answer, his eyes are almost pleading him to say no. It’s a small yet comforting reminder that Hux isn’t the only one forced into this, isn’t the only one who is powerless.

The words are hard and it feels like he has to rip them from his tongue. “I do.”

The grip on Hux’s hand loosens but Ren doesn’t let go, his face twists with bitterness.

“I now pronounce you husbands. You may mark your omega now, Lord Ren.”

When Ren shifts, it startles Hux slightly. The redhead knows what he’s supposed to do. Gulping, he turns around, with his back towards Ren. He can feel the alpha’s gaze on the vulnerable skin of his neck; it gives him goosebumps.

Hux spots Brendol sitting on one of the marble seats. The old alpha is smiling. It’s not the same mocking smirk like Snoke’s, this is pure sadistic evil. Hux wishes he could smash his face against the marble.

Hux’s fury is distracting him and he almost forgets about the danger breathing down his neck.

“You should focus on different things than your father right now, Colonel.”

It’s more a breeze of hot breath on Hux’s neck than a real sentence. At first, the omega doesn’t even know if Ren actually did something or if those were the words that rang inside his mind with the alpha’s voice. Either way, Hux freezes.

The voice is the only warning he gets. He sees Ren’s hand trembling as he touches the collar of Hux’s uniform, he moves it slightly down, the fabric moving surprisingly without ease. Hux can’t decide whether his heart is hammering in his chest like crazy or if it stops beating completely.

Brendol is still smiling. Hux clenches his fists and tilts his head to the side so Ren has better access to his neck. One of Ren’s hands wrap around the redhead’s waist, taking him by the chin but he doesn’t really move him. Just a reminder not to move. The other hand finds Hux’s hip. Both are still trembling.

When the lips meet the soft skin, it feels electric and shivers run down Hux’s spine. He has only a second to wonder how soft they are before they part. At first, the sharp teeth lightly brush against Hux’s skin, and the redhead can feel the dark hair mingling with his, tickling. Ren’s alpha scent fills his lungs – aftershave and sweat. It’s not completely displeasing.

Then, Ren bites. Hux wishes he could say it goes through him like an avalanche or a wave of magma. Instead, it hurts much less than he imagined and wanted it to. Compared to some of the injuries he’s suffered through his life, it’s almost nothing. Like the annoyance of a bug-bite.

What bothers him much more is that every single person in the room has their eyes fixed on him and Ren. It’s as if they were on the display for the whole world to see and Hux is now even more glad that Snoke refused to channel this through the First Order.

The true shock comes when Ren’s tongue touches him by accident. It’s hot and wet and to Hux’s utter surprise and horror, it feels nice. He almost jerks away but the moment his body moves on reflex, the hand on his hip reminds him to stay put.

The omega feels his blood leaking from the wound and then, maybe so his clothes don’t get dirty, Ren licks it away. It makes his knees weak.

To Hux, it’s as if an eternity has passed by when Ren‘s lips finally leave the crook of his neck.  He knows he only lost few drops of his blood, yet he feels dizzy.

He’s married.

Kylo Ren is officially his husband.

When he looks up, most of the officers are clapping. Their smiles look more like a mask of mocking, though, and Hux makes sure to remember every single face and every single name he sees. His father stands out from them all.

The twelve figures that are standing by the lane are not clapping but they are watching them from behind their helmets. Snoke is not clapping either, he’s smiling in the same manner as Brendol though.

He hears the priest say something, probably announcing them husbands but the words are too quiet. The place where Ren bit him is pulsing lightly with pain and it feels cold without Ren’s tongue. Hux shivers.

Ren’s hand is pushing him lightly, urging Hux to move. They only take few steps from the altar before the officers rush in to congratulate them. It all happens in a fuzz, really. Hux barely keeps up with the people who are shaking his hand but he knows he manages to put up a polite smile and remember all the high-ranked officers names.

Beside him, Ren is growing nervous, shifting his weight from one leg to another and gritting his teeth and, occasionally, his fingers dig into Hux’s hip. Namely when he accepts the congratulations from Brendol.

It’s clear the alpha doesn’t like exchanging the pleasantries. Hux doesn’t like them either but he’s very good at pretending he does.

When Hux glances behind his shoulder, Snoke is gone. Humiliation burns in the omega’s guts. The Supreme Leader only came to laugh at them.

“My son,” Brendol pulls Hux away from his thoughts. He scowls at his father and his mocking smirk. “I’d never thought I would see this day. I’m so proud of you and of the choices you’ve made. I feel like I raised truly amazing and clever child. I wish you all the luck in the world.”

I wish you would go die in a ditch is what comes to Hux’s mind. It’s not true. Dying in a ditch would be far too merciful for Brendol.

“Thank you, father,” Hux offers him a hand for handshake. Even if just for looks, he would never hug the alpha.

None of the Knights of Ren comes to congratulate them either but they are still standing there and watching.

The hand on Hux’s his makes him edgy – it doesn’t leave at any time, stays there like a reminder. Or maybe, the omega thinks when he looks at the alpha, it’s for the Knight as well. To keep him grounded.

It’s only so slightly calming, to remember that the other man doesn’t enjoy this any more than he do. Then, Hux remembers that might be true but the alpha has power above Hux. And that he’s the closest to let out his frustration on.

Everything feels so simple it’s terrifying. The lack of decorations that wouldn’t be missing at any normal wedding, the dark figures with helmets who don’t cheer the newly married couple makes it all feel like a horrible nightmare. But Hux knows the heat of the hand on his hip is real.

It makes him dizzy and nauseous. It’s ridiculous and none of this was supposed to happen. A part of him is actually glad for the hand on his hip as it’s leading him outside the this ridiculous sanctum however scary the owner of the hand is.

The halls are filled with people who pretend to be going on their way, minding their own work but it’s clear they are there just to see at least a tiny bit of the wedding. Most of the looks are once again on Hux, he’s practically glowing in white.

Brendol doesn’t go with them, neither do the Knights. Hux finds that both mocking and relieving.

This is not the first time Hux is in the meeting room of the High Command of the Finalizer. It’s a spacious room with real wooden desk in one of its corners. The other looks like a gentleman club – there are bookshelves with old paper books, soft-looking chairs and drinks cabinet.

There is a small feast on the table in front of a holo-screen which is kind of surprising. Other than that, the room is exactly how Hux remembers it from the few times he’s been here to present his ideas to the High Command.

Lauren is suddenly by his side. “Lord Ren, Colonel, please take a seat.”

Even though she is closer to an omega on the beta spectrum than to an alpha, her voice is surprisingly submissive and nothing like what she’s been when she spoke to Hux before. In the first moment it makes him angry because it means she has no spine. Then, he realizes that she heard or maybe even saw what Ren is capable of and it’s only rational for her trying to sound compliant. It’s a smart move.

As he sits down, he realizes that he’s been wrong – one of Ren’s knights is there with them. They stand close enough and so Hux takes in a deep breath in attempt to find out what gender they are but they smell of trees and nothing else.

As he and Ren are sitting down, the Knight politely waits before they sit down as well. They remove their helmet and, in rather ill-manner, she puts it on the table next to her plate. It’s a twi’lek woman so there is no wonder Hux can’t smell whether she’s an alpha or something else since they don’t have secondary gender. Her skin is white with black marks and her tails are still hidden under a cape. Her features are sharp and it looks like she has constant scowl between her eyebrows.

When she notices Hux looking at her, she gives him a stern look that could easily make any alpha look away. Hux doesn’t.

Eventually, they look at the man who brings them the appetizer. Hux usually makes sure to eat with the other officers and in the mess hall. The food isn’t good but even though his rank is technically higher and he could eat somewhere better it helps his look with the troops. It’s one of the reasons he’s so popular.

This meal looks much better than what the omega is used to, like a real food and not something that’s been grown in a lab. Hux didn’t eat well over the last few days, in fact his stomach is in constant hunger now but even such a good-looking meal makes him wrinkle his nose because while he is hungry, he doesn’t have the appetit.

He looks at Ren and his plate. The alpha is looking at the food the same way Hux does. Then, he glances over to Hux and his plate and for a second their eyes lock.

Hux expects it to be angry and furious. Instead, the moment when they look at each other feels awkward. The distaste for the meal is the first thing they both know they share together.

Hux expects the little interaction to be angry or hateful.

They both force themselves to eat few bites before they couldn’t bear it anymore. Going through the main course is similar. All the officers and Ren’s Knight have little troubles eating though. Just looking at the dessert makes Hux uncomfortable, his stomach twisting too much to be eating anything.

Really, waiting for the feast to be over is agonizing. On one hand, Hux just wants this all to be over with and for the inevitable to happen, on the other he’s terrified to death and wishes the feast would never end.

It also seems that everyone in the room feels the tension. Whether they all know what’s the cause of the tension is a different story though – Hux imagines they all think he or Ren just want to go their quarters to consummate their wedding.

The image makes Hux swallow before he can throw up the little he has eaten all over the table.

The omega jerks when he feels a hand on his thigh. He looks up to stare at Ren meaning to be threatening but he thinks his eyes are too wide for that. He thinks if maybe Ren’s Force allows him to hear how fast his heart is beating.

“Let’s go,“ Ren says, loudly enough for the people around the table to hear them but he’s not yelling.

The twi’lek stands up before Ren does and then waits until he moves away from the table before she sits back down. As if Ren was some kind of prince. She watches Ren and Hux leave and when her gaze falls upon the omega, her expression hardens.

It doesn’t take a genius to recognize jealousy and Hux’s always been good at reading people and their motivations. He needs to find out her name and her background as soon as possible because anyone who is Ren’s Knight as well as in love with Kylo could be potentially dangerous to the omega. Especially if they are as emotionally driven as their master.

Right now, though, Hux has different concerns. He’s walking out of the room with Kylo Ren and him alone. Neither of them says anything. They just walk through the halls towards their quarters.

Hux’s hands are sweating and his legs feel shaky but he doesn’t waver. He walks by Ren’s side up until they reach the metal door that now seem to be much taller and heavier than Hux know it is.

The omega only hesitates for one second when Ren goes inside. He wants to turn around and run to the other side of the ship. Instead, he takes a step forward, following the alpha inside.

Ren takes of the cloak first, with jerky hands, having trouble with holding them steady. Hux watches him silently from the door. He will not remove a single piece of his clothing before he’s sure he absolutely has to.

The Knight simply leaves the cloak on the floor like a piece of dirty cloth. It makes Hux wrinkle his nose in distaste. If his father saw the omega do something like that when he was a child, the punishment would be incredible.

“I hate your father,” Ren says.

It’s a strange thing to say, more so with the tone Ren’s voice colors it – harsh but with badly-hidden awkwardness in it.

It makes Hux shift his weight uncertainty. He doesn’t really know what Ren wants him to say. To pretend he loves his father and look less powerless than he actually is or if to agree, speaking the truth that could be seen as the last attempt for Ren not to harm him. Even if he believed him, Ren is a man-child who could only see it as an opportunity to do as he pleased.

Before Hux manages to decide what’s the right approach, the alpha speaks again: “Considering you are a force-mute, your ability to lie and hide the truth is admirable.”

Hux knows manipulation and praising with an insult. He himself considers it to be rather effective. But he doesn’t like seeing it to be used by someone like Ren. It means the alpha is not as simple as Hux‘s hoped him to be.

“You’re not the only one who hates my father,” is what Hux settles on, ignoring the compliment and also leaving his voice to be neutral. He doesn’t want to give any indication that the hatred towards Brendol is something they share. Not yet anyway.

His plan for that seems to disappear like a tear in the rain when Ren’s lips twist in a smirk. “You have a way with your words, Colonel. But I saw the truth yesterday. It was not your doing or a choice to be here. It’s your father wanting you to suffer.”

Hux’s mouth is dry for a moment. He doesn’t know what to say now that his cards are laid on the table.

“Why didn’t you say you that from the start?” Ren asks sounding angry and accusing as if Hux is some idiot.

Hux rolls his eyes, his fear giving a way to anger fast.

“So, what you are saying is that I should’ve just tell everything to an alpha without knowing any of his intentions or his affiliation with my father.”

Ren shows his teeth in a snarl. “Don’t be sassy.”

Hux can’t keep his tongue in check. “Well, then don’t be a cunt.”

Fury flashes through Ren’s eyes again before Hux feels the familiar grip on his throat and he’s flying across the room towards the alpha and grabbed by his actual hand. His rage is forgotten, replaced by cold twist of fear inside him.

Before Ren can actually properly squeeze, Hux speaks again: “Honestly, was I supposed to just take my chances and tell you everything about me? The alpha I only met when he was trying to suffocate my subordinates? Also, have you perhaps not considered that there are other options than just that I’m making villainous plans with my father about marrying you?!”

For a very short moment, Ren looks ashamed. Then, his head tilts slightly to the side and he looks just a bit clamer. His grip on the redhead’s neck loosens slightly. His other hand moves to the center of Hux’s chest, touching it just so slightly. The light touch is nothing like Ren at all, it’s probably what’s the most unnerving thing about this.

“Your heart beats like the one of a nexu when you’re scared,” Ren says and his deep voice sounds too loud in the room.

Hux who only now realizes that he’s been staring down submissively until now looks up. Ren’s eyes are dark but they seem to glow.

“So, now that you know what?” Hux asks, hating himself when he hears his voice shaking.

“You want to kill your father,” Ren doesn’t step away, doesn’t let go of Hux. “And I know you are the type to already have a plan, Colonel.”

Momentarily, Hux forgets about his situation when the thought hits him. “You want to kill him to. But Supreme Leader doesn’t want to let you, does he? I on the other hand could help you with getting rid of him and we both get something out of it.”

When Ren looks at him now, his eyes are glowing even more. “You’re smart, Colonel. Smarter than your father.”

It’s a bait, Hux knows that being praised is one of his weakness because it’s what he craves. He doesn’t let the praise get too close to him but also can’t shake off the warm feeling building inside his belly.

The omega quickly puts himself back together and say: “Although that isn’t what I meant when I asked now what.”

Hux raises his eyebrows, leaving his words hanging in the air, and waits. Even though everything is going much better than the omega had anticipated, he needs to know.

It takes Ren shamefully long to understand what’s he talking about. When he does, the hand on Hux’s chest lowers down and he shyly looks away. If this was anyone else, Hux would consider his reaction cute.

“I won’t force you into anything,” Ren tell him eventually but once again, there is a harsh tone to his words. “But you will respect me, hux. And remember that our Supreme Leader wants the child to be born.”

“Well, in that case, why don’t we just wait until my heat?”

Ren smirks mockingly. “Do you want the first time to be when you have your heat?”

The image comes to Hux’s mind - he sees himself, so sweaty is hair is wet, lying on the bed while holding his hurting stomach, his cock hard and the wetness between his legs. His head is fuzzy and his body too hot. He would be nothing like himself.

Having his first sex like that would be even more humiliating than Hux already expects it to be.

“Didn’t think so,” Ren smirks.

The omega scowls at him and steps away. Ren lets him slip from under his fingers. The tension between them easies, just so slightly. The alpha looks at Hux from head to toe and settles on Hux’s neck.

“You should go take a shower. This look is unnatural on you.”

Hux narrows his eyes. “Well, then I’m glad I don’t care what you think about my looks.”

He expects Ren to be angry and remind him about the respecting part but instead, the alpha actually grins with too many teeth. He doesn’t say anything though. So, after few seconds, Hux heads towards the refresher. Ren doesn’t follow him and instead goes to the door Hux is forbidden from going in. When he disappears there, Hux relaxes a little.

The whole confrontation feels like a dream when the alpha is out of sight. His fresh smell is still filling the room though. Still, Hux feels like this was too easy. Like there has to be a catch. Maybe the fact that Ren is so calm and seems to be actually happy – or less violent in his case – with how things has turned out. Hux thinks if this is perhaps a trap, a scheme by the man.

He doesn’t know Ren’s relationship with his Knights but he knows that they’ve been around as long as Ren has which means they probably know each other and trusts each other. Hux doesn’t think the twi’lek Knight would look at him the same way she did if this wasn’t a plan. Of course, that could be another way to confuse Hux, but Ren doesn’t look like a mastermind schemer to Hux.

The omega decides to let it go for now. After a week of constant tension and stress, he feels his body relaxing. It’s not a good feeling since he finally feels the sleep-deprivation creep up on him and his upset stomach growling in hunger because the few bites he’s had were nowhere close enough to filling him. By the time he manages to undress himself from the many layers of his wedding clothes and leave them disregarded on the floor of the refresher,  his eyelids are heavy and he just wants to go to bed.

The hot water on his skin relaxes his muscles even further and by the end of his shower, he’s leaning against the cold wall of the shower corner to keep himself up. He dries himself laxly, collects his wedding dress and puts them on his chair. He doesn’t fold it.

Hux lets himself collapse on the bed. He can still smell mostly Ren on the fabric but even though he’s only slept there once, his smell is already mingling with the alpha’s. It can also be that he’s been living in the same room for a week now.

The redhead hears a door opening, so he looks behind his shoulder. Ren’s jacket is unbuttoned and his gloves are gone. Until now, Hux didn’t realize how much tension the alpha had in his shoulders as well. Now, he sees it that he’s more relaxed. Even the silence is.

Ren disappears in the refresher as well.

Even though he’s dead tired, hux can’t sleep when he hears the shower running. He stares outside the window, not letting the sleep take him.

Hux waits until he hears the water to stop again. Then, there is several minutes of silence. Hux imagines the alpha drying himself and gulps.

The door hisses as it opens. Ren’s steps are heavy as he moves towards the bed. Hux feels his heart pound in his chest again when he feels the sheets shift under Ren’s weight.

“Are you scared that I’m gonna snatch you in your sleep?” Ren’s voice comes directly from behind his ear - deep and casual, without any threat in it. It gives him goosebumps and sends shivers down his spine. “Or do you want me to?”

Hux doesn’t say anything, he just lays there, listening to the deafening sound of his own heart in his ears and feels the hot breath on his ear. He waits, frozen like a rabbit who’s been spotted by a wolf.

Then, the redhead feels the bed shift again under Ren’s weight and the alpha simply lay down.

He waits until he hears Ren snoring before he moves so he’s lying on his stomach and desperately tries to ignore his hard cock.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for thinking I knew what I was doing!  
> Also, for taking so long with this chapter but I was very busy with in my job and when I though I had this chapter finish, I just didn't like it and had to completely rewrite. I'm still not sure if I wrote the dynamics perfectly but I did my best so hopefully, you will like it.  
> So please, enjoy, leave kudos and maybe comments!  
> Btw, I added another tag so beware ;)

The next morning, waking up is slow. It’s one of the mornings when Hux is awake before he really opens his eyes. He knows he slept for a long time, perhaps too long given that he feels even more tired than yesterday. His eyelids are heavy as he opens them.

It’s not like in the vids where after an awkward last night, one of a pair wakes up to being in a hug or cuddling the other. Hux is lying on the very edge of his half of the bed to the point that he’s surprised that he didn’t fall off the bed in his sleep. He’s facing Ren. The man has his back towards him, though. His blanket slipped down to his waist, revealing his broad shoulders and back with several moles.

Hux gulps and looks away. He thinks about getting out of the bed, going to work on his project of the Starkiller while he still has time (and position) to do so. Also, while Ren is still sleeping and not paying attention to him.

He is not sure if Ren is a light sleeper, though, and the last thing Hux wants to do is to wake him up. He wants to enjoy the little moment of quiet and relaxing.

The omega almost misses the stiff in Ren’s shoulders. It appears there only for a moment before the alpha forces them to relax again.

When Ren speaks, he’s trying not to sound as if he just woke up but fails miserably: “You think way too loud.”

Hux snorts. “That’s what great minds do.”

There’s a moment of silence before Ren moves under the covers. He rolls over on his other side so he is facing Hux, the movement surprisingly elegant for someone as huge and as sleepy as him. The alpha stares at him with dark eyes and a frown between his eyebrows. If Hux didn’t know already, he would never guess the man just woke up.

“Are you suggesting something, Colonel?” Ren asks.

Hux still can’t figure him out. On the rare occasions they have met in the past, Ren always acted on his whims, before giving them a single thought, always letting his anger lead the way without even thinking about controlling himself. Now, here, Ren seems to desperately try to grasp on his anger. Try to seem like he is in control of everything, including his own self. However, the hint of anger clear in his voice despite Ren trying to hide it.

Hux knows this is a display, an attempt to show off maybe. What the omega doesn’t know is why. Does Ren think that if he doesn’t appear in control, Hux will go around and tell everyone? They already know. Is this his typical behaviour with omegas around? Nonsense, Ren didn’t care before.

“Too loud again,” Ren’s dark eyes stare at him. Hux looks away.

He hides the submissive gesture under the movement of getting out of the bed. As he gets up, he feels ache in his limbs that wasn’t there yesterday and feels more tired. He supposes that the stress he’s been under is finally falling off, leaving his body in miserable state now that it’s not running on constant fight-or-flight mode.

“You think of your body as if it is a machine,“ Ren says from the bed. His voice is deep rumble that gives Hux goosebumps all over.

“It sort of is if you think about it,” Hux says, barely holding his tongue from saying  _ not that you are actually capable of that _ . “You fuel it to keep it running. You make a maintenance to keep it in ideal condition. You stop, it breaks.”

For a second, Ren is quiet. Then he just shrugs. “I suppose.”

A satisfied smile grows on Hux’s lips and he walks towards the refresher. He supposes he should’ve asked Ren if he wanted to go first but he doesn’t care.

Only when he’s standing in front of the mirror, one of his hands on the sink while he’s brushing his teeth with the other, he realizes what just happened. He and Ren just had a, however short, normal conversation. Without growling, hateful glances or violence between them.

It makes Hux slightly nervous though he thinks he much prefers it over the threats and anger. He gulps as he stares at the marks of Ren’s fingers, still visible on his neck, almost glowing against the pale skin.

Eventually, the omega shakes the thoughts off, undresses and gets in the shower. He keeps it short and efficient, the water cold against his skin. It helps him to wake up more but he still feels tired and his limbs are heavy. He thinks, if he truly tried, he would be able to sleep all day.

When he gets back to the bedroom, Ren is getting dressed. He’s standing next to the bed, with the pants already on, and is currently pulling the shirt over his head.

Hux does not stare on the muscles on his stomach.

“Someone left the breakfast behind the door,” he tells the omega.

Hux nods but doesn’t go for it. Going would feel too much like complying to Ren even though the Knight didn’t form the sentence as an order.

Whatever goes through Ren’s head, he doesn’t insist. Instead, he walks towards the door Hux is not allowed to go through. The omega can’t help but glance inside as the door opens but he doesn’t see anything, just a dark room.

He waits for a few minutes and when it’s clear Ren will not return immediately, he walks towards the main door. It hisses as he opens it. Nobody is walking through the corridor right now and surely, there’s a big tray on the ground right in front of the door.

When Hux was a child, his father often enjoyed all the kinds of expensive meals – real fruit, real meat. He never let Hux taste any of it. He’d tell him that he would have to deserve those, with his deeds and because Hux didn’t do anything in his life yet, he didn’t have the right to eat.

Hux doesn’t bother fighting the smirk that’s forming on his face when he sees the tray. His father would never approve of this for him.

He carries the tray towards the table in the corner. He takes one of the plates and places some of the fruit there. His stomach is already growling loudly.

The omega doesn’t wait for Ren with eating. He starts with the sweetmelon and pika, only because he knew he should start with something light after not eating much for the past few days. He pours himself some tea while still chewing.

It’s probably around half an hour since he started eating when Ren returns. He walks towards the table and Hux can’t help but to tense up slightly. The alpha glances on the fruit on Hux’s plate as he sits on the opposite side of the table, facing the redhead.

“I’m surprised that’s your choice,” Ren comments, his hand gesturing towards Hux’s plate.

The omega frowns and, as if challenged, he takes a huge bite. “Why?”

Ren shrugs again. “I thought you’d be more the type to eat vegetable and drink lots and lots of caf.”

As he’s talking, he reaches for nuna bacon and eggs.

The corners of Hux’s lips twist in disgust - he has nothing against this type of meat but in that moment, he doesn’t think he stomach would be able to digest this. “Well, at least your taste is quite predictable.”

He expects Ren to scowl, to give him a warning glare even if their dynamics changed after yesterday. The grin that grew on Ren’s face is still a surprise. It’s not less dangerous though. Almost with fascination, he watches as Ren’s sharp teeth tear into the meat. He looks more like an animal in that moment.

Hux looks away.

They eat in silence for a while and it’s not as tense as Hux thought it would be.

Hux is finished with his meal now, he’s simply sitting in the chair and trying to finish his tea when Ren fills the silence. “Why does your father hate you?”

He looks up. Ren’s face is serious. There’s nothing mocking on his face, nothing that would scream malevolence. His gaze is still intense though, curious.

Hux’s skin burns under the gaze. He looks Ren straight in the eye for a moment but for the first time, them locking the gaze together, doesn’t feel like a battle. Ren doesn’t demand Hux’s control and the omega doesn’t have to fight for it.

If Hux wouldn’t find it ridiculous, he would call this interaction a dance. Ren’s hand is circling the edge of his mug. Hux’s fingers are playing with the armrest on his chair and his teeth are nipping very lightly on his lower lip from the inside. It’s probably not visible but Hux’s been doing this since he’s been a child.

“Because I’m not what he wanted,” Hux is surprised by his own honesty and immediately, he feels bare. He resists the urge to fidget in his seat.

The alpha is still chewing, slowly, but his plate is almost empty. He sips his caf before he speaks again. “Was that because you presented as an omega?”

There are ways to determine a child’s secondary gender but they are not 100 % reliable and it’s an extremely painful procedure. Hux doesn’t know if his father let the doctors take the test, doesn’t remember. Maybe he did and still hoped that the test would be wrong. One way or another, Hux doesn’t remember much from his first heat except the agonizing pain in his belly, his skin on fire and his father disgusted expression as he locked him inside the room just before the first wave of the heat really hit.

Hux supposes he should be glad the old man didn’t throw him at the first alpha that could bring Brendol power the moment he presented.

“Probably,” Hux says because they are still looking at each other and Ren is clearly waiting for an answer. “Though, I suppose that was just the peak of the iceberg.”

He hides his face behind his almost empty mug under the pretence of taking a sip. Sometimes, Hux thinks that Brendol was more angry at him because his wife wasn’t able to give him more heirs and he was stuck with little Armitage.

“What else was there?”

Now, Hux frowns. He doesn’t like how many questions Ren asks even if there isn’t any hate behind them.

“What about you?” the omega asks in return. “My story is on the spotlight while your remains in the shadows. All I know about you is that your name is Kylo Ren.”

That’s not complete truth, though. Hux listens to the whispers, the gossips. He knows that Kylo Ren is often called the Jedi Killer among few high-rank individuals. He knows that Ren and his knights are the remains of the Jedi temple taught by Luke Skywalker – who is also the only survivor.

Ren’s eyes narrow and he stares into Hux as if he saw straight into his soul. “Stupidity and pretency of it doesn’t suit you.”

A warm feeling spreads across Hux’s belly. He pushes it away but can’t keep his mouth shut. “Does that mean you think I am smart, Lord Ren?”

He didn’t mean it to sound as provocative as it does. Ren’s eyes spark with something again but before Hux can tell what it is, it’s gone. When Ren speaks, it’s again with the deep rumble: “Careful, Colonel.”

They stare into each other’s eyes again in that moment, challenge in their eyes and Hux feels his heartbeat fasten.

Suddenly, Ren blinks unfocused. He gulps after a few seconds, and his shoulders hunch before he gets up from his chair. He walks towards the closet and takes out his cloak, putting it on his shoulders. His helmet follows shortly after.

Ren doesn’t say anything as he leaves and Hux doesn’t say anything as he watches him. For a moment, he considers what happened for the sudden change of posture and the hurry in which the alpha left. He realizes there is probably only one thing that could make the Knight leave like that. The memory of Snoke at the ceremony and the way he touched his hips makes Hux’s stomach twist.

He pushes the memories into the back of his mind and puts his plate back on the tray. He glances on the other plate and the mug Ren left behind and, after a second, he takes it and places it on the tray as well. It’s a small task but it still has him feeling unsettled.

Hux picks up the tray and even though neither he nor Ren ate very much but it feels much lighter than before. The omega takes it to the door and puts it outside. If someone brought the tray here, someone will also take it away.

After that, without having any real duties, he gets his datapad and starts working on Starkiller.

Ren is gone for most of the day. Hux chuckles at one point. This is, essentially, the first day of their honeymoon, and Hux spends it working on his project while Ren spends it with their Supreme Leader.

* * *

 

The alpha returns in the evening. Hux feels less tired than he did in the morning but his eyelids are still heavy. He’s done a lot of work on Starkiller.

When Ren appears in the door, he removes his helmet right after he steps into the quarters. His expression is dark and Hux swears there are dark circles under his eyes that haven’t been there in the morning. His shoulders are tense and there is a deep frown between his eyebrows. He looks like an attack dog, ready to lash out.

Hux doesn’t say anything and watches him across the room from his chair, patiently waiting. Ren stares at him for several seconds before the door hisses and closes behind him. Then, he walks towards the closet to put his cloak there as well as the helmet. His jaw is tight from gritting the teeth and his movements are too precise and stiff for him to be calm however hard he is trying to keep his composure.

Hux stays quiet, knows that if he wants to have somehow reasonable conversation about whatever is on Ren’s mind, he needs to keep his mouth shut for the moment.

“I’ve been summoned by Supreme Leader,” Ren says eventually and uselessly, after several minutes of too deafening silence.

Hux only nods so the man knows he’s listening him. His own heart is beating loudly in the omega’s ears. He thinks he might know what’s on Ren’s mind but he still hopes it’s something else.

He should know better as the hope is immediately crushed the moment Ren speaks again: “He wasn’t happy that we didn’t conceal our marriage.”

Hux feels the datapad get heavier in his hands and he settles it on his lap. His breathing is getting harsher and his palms are covered in sweat in seconds. He and Ren are just staring at one another for several long seconds and while dread is creeping all over Hux, Ren’s shoulders are shaking, his fists are clenched and he grits his teeth together painfully.

Then, the omega pushes the wave of panic back. They both already established that they are in this situation unwillingly and so far it looks like Ren won’t just jump on him right away. In fact, when Hux looks at him properly, he realizes that Ren isn’t just angry. He blinks a lot and almost looks away from the redhead and his cheeks are slightly red.

Somehow, knowing that Ren is just as nervous as Hux himself reassuring. It also helps that Hux knows someone needs to keep calm right now and Ren doesn’t look like the type.

Supreme Leader has to be obeyed, neither of them really have a choice. But this might be his last chance to take any control over the situation while Ren is still too upset.

Hoping he doesn’t look too stiff, Hux sets the datapad on the table and forces his shoulders to relax. There isn’t any easy way to talk about sex, let alone sex when both parties are forced, but Hux was never one to shy away from things that had to be done. The only thing that keeps him calm is the fact that getting pregnant without a heat is extremely rare and so, even if they conceal the marriage, there will not be serious consequences. Not yet anyway.

“When will you see Supreme Leader again?” he asks, keeping his voice calm.

This is the first time since Ren walked into the room, he really looks at Hux. He bares his teeth as he growls: “Whenever he sees it to be the right time.”

Hux lets the silence fill the room once again, only for a few seconds because he knows if he retorted straight away, it would only feed Ren’s fury.

The alpha’s body is huge and at the image of what he knows must be underneath the clothes, Hux shivers. For a very short second, his fear gives him the idea of suggesting Ren to fake it somehow but he crushes that idea right away. Not only is Ren faithful to the Supreme Leader but the omega is also sure Snoke would know because of his mind tricks.

“Alright, alright,” Hux says, trying to sound relaxed and probably failing miserably. “Let’s make it quick then.” His heart is pounding in his chest. “Do you want to do it now? Should I take my clothes off?” Hux supposes not many victims get opportunity to negotiate their own rape, so he should be feeling grateful.

He doesn’t.

Thankfully, his cooperativeness seems to calm Rens lightly and his jaw relaxes. He doesn’t walk closer to Hux though, keeping his distance.

The alpha’s eyes dart away when he asks, shyly: “Have you ever been with an alpha before?”

The omega gulps nervously and when he speaks, instead of sounding casual as he planned to keep the control, his voice is shaky: “No.”

Ren doesn’t ask why. Hux is grateful for that because even though he knows logically, there is not any reason to be feeling that way, the stab of shame still nudges him.

For a minute, they just continue to stare at each other awkwardly, neither of them really willing to make the first move or knowing what to say. It’s Ren who eventually breaks the silence.

“We should get this over with.”

Hux only nods, he doesn’t trust his own voice for the moment and he gets up from the chair. When he turns towards the bed, it looks more frightening than it did yesterday. He can’t bear to look at it so he looks back to Ren.

There is a question in his eyes as well as agitation and it takes Hux a second before he figures out what the question is.

“You first,” is what he says without really thinking about it, his tone more accusational than he intended it to be.

At first, Ren narrows his eyes and his lips twist in distaste. Than, as if seeing or realizing something, he relaxes. His hands move down to the hem of his shirt and he pulls it off with gracefulness Hux probably should learn to expect of him.

Ren looks as intimidating and hot as Hux remembers from the last time he’s seen him. Hux looks away; staring at the muscles on Ren’s stomach too much. He knows it’s his turn now and his hands are shaking as he starts to unbutton his shirt. He knows that underneath the many layers of his clothing, he’s just skinny little thing that will never look as intimidating as the alpha.

He tries to be fast, to just get it over with, more so when Ren just stares at him. For now, he doesn’t bother folding his shirt or the jacket of his uniform, he just leaves them on the chair. The air in the room is too cold on his exposed skin. He tells himself that’s the only reason why he shivers.

The silence is heavy between them as Ren kicks off his boots and then puts his hands on the waistband of his trousers. He takes them off along with pants in one motion and leaves them on the floor, standing completely naked in front of Hux.

He waits and moment passes before Hux finds his voice. “Is this for real?”

It’s so high-pitched that even Hux almost doesn’t recognize his own voice.

Ren shifts his weight from one foot to another, gulping. “Yes.”

Hux blinks a few times because really, this is the only time he thinks he’s ever seen an alpha being nervous about having big, massive cock.

His shyness brings a question into Hux’s mind. “Are you a virgin as well?”

Ren huffs out a breath that’s probably supposed to be a laugh but it really doesn’t sound like that. “No. Though, it has been some time.”

Hux nods and takes a deep breath. It’s his turn now.

He feels like he looks much less graceful than Ren did as he has to balance on one leg as he’s trying to pull the pants off. After he puts them to the rest of his uniform on the chair, he resists the urge to cover his crotch with his hands. He can’t resist the urge to look anywhere but the alpha in the room though.

He knows Ren is still looking at him.

“Do you have lube?” he asks half to fill the silence in the room, half because he’s really not sure if he’ll be able to take Ren’s cock otherwise.

“I do,” Ren says dryly and walks to the dresser. His cock is swinging between his legs the whole time. For a second, Hux is glad he isn’t the one who needs to get it up.

Hux glances back to the bed. It looks more like a bottomless pit now but he builds up the courage and gets on it.

As Hux crawls on the mattress, he feels his hands and shoulders shake again. His whole body is tense and taut and his stomach twists uncomfortably. He feels like he’s going to throw up all over the mattress. He thought he was in control until now. He thought that it would be alright.

Thinking perhaps hearing his own voice will calm him, he asks: “How do you want this?” and praying his voice doesn’t sound fragile.

Ren is still standing next to the bed. He doesn’t reply straight away, and instead, he sits on the bed slowly and carefully. It’s the first time Hux sees him act like that and if he wasn’t terrified to the bone, he would be offended that the alpha treats him like a cornered animal that needs to be approached this way. 

The alpha sets the tub of lube on one of the pillow. And the black pits of his eyes are looking at Hux again. “However you like.”

If he reached out, he could touch Hux. He could pull the omega closer and he could push him against the bed and take whatever he wanted because Hux is his. Nobody would say anything. Nobody would help him. Because Supreme Leader agreed that Hux doesn’t belong to himself anymore.

“I d-don’t know,” Hux says honestly but it sounds more like a choke, weak and broken, and Hux can’t fight the panic creeping over him, taking his whole body. He’s trembling violently and his breathing gets harder and harder, too quick and too shallow.

An expression of similar panic grows on Ren’s face for a second, like he doesn’t know what to do with the mess that’s currently in his bed. Somehow, for once, he manages to stay calm, just when Hux’s vision is starting to tunnel. For the first time, the omega feels Ren’s big hands not around his neck but on his cheeks. The alpha then tilts Hux’s head up with surprisingly light touch.

“Breathe, Hux,” Ren tells him and there is a hint of panic in his voice but it’s also soft. “Just breathe.”

It’s the first time Ren called him by just his name. The omega looks up and stares at Ren. His eyes are even darker than he’d thought and there are moles on his face and neck that Hux wasn’t paying attention to before, when they weren’t this close.

Hux breathes in and out, slowly but gradually evening out his pulse. After several minutes, he finally doesn’t feel like passing out. However, the moment panic releases him, shame and self-disgust root inside him. He knew he would have to sleep with Ren sooner or later, he knows the situation is good, given the circumstances, and still he didn’t handle it. Worse, he let Ren see him like this. Like a weak scared little omega Hux’s father always told him he was.

Thank the stars, Ren doesn’t ask him if he’s alright. He pulls his hands back. They were surprisingly warm and the moment they leave Hux’s cheeks, he shakes again, this time from cold that has to be imaginary.

The alpha is now kneeling in front of Hux. “I’m going to press you down now.”

He waits until Hux nods and then, he touches him again. His hands are big and hot as he puts one on the omega’s shoulder and the second on his hip as he helps him to lay down.

Hux is still tense as a bowstring but he lets him. It’s so much different from all the violent scenarios he’s went through in his head. He’s still half expecting Ren to wrap his fingers around his throat and squeeze until Hux’s neck breaks. 

He knew since this morning that it would be different, that Ren is just as nervous as he is. He thought he could use that to take the control but instead it slipped from his weak grasp.

So, instead, Ren takes it. What’s even scarier is that Hux is glad for it because he doesn’t know what to do.

“Do you want it like this or you’d rather be on your stomach?” Ren asks. He sounds calmer now but the nervousness is still in his voice.

Hux thinks being on stomach would be easier, he would be able to hide his face in the cover and not have to look into the black eyes. But the idea of exposing his back to Ren is unbearable. “This’ll do.”

Ren just nods and looks away, to the lube. “I’ll prepare you now. Spread your legs.”

Following orders is surprisingly easy even if Hux’s heart beats to the point that it almost hurts. He spreads his legs in slow motion. The fabric is agonizingly soft under his feet. He lets his back press against the pillows as he watches Ren stare at him. His eyes darting quickly from the omega’s legs to his stomach and his dick until he finally looks up to Hux’s face.

His pupils are wide. It’s lust, Hux surprisingly realizes.

Hux brace himself for the touch but he jerks anyway when Ren’s fingers brush against his hole anyway. He regrets not drinking some alcohol to relax for this. A hysterical laugh escapes his throat because he would have to drink at least half of the whole cabinet.

Ren looks at him sharply for the sound, his eyes wide with shock.

“Sorry,” Hux says, his voice still hysterical.

He doesn’t say anything else but Ren doesn’t push. He waits for Hux to stop laughing.

“Relax.”

Hux nods, and braces himself once more. Ren, who has kept his finger where it was, slowly traces around the rim of the omega‘s hole. It’s almost soothing. Except it really isn’t.

Ren doesn’t push, his big hand as gentle as it can be but Hux thinks he must not have many experiences either. When he tries to push in, Hux’s body tenses again.

This time, the alpha seems to lose a bit of his patience. “I told you to relax.”

His voice probably should tense Hux even more, make him more scared. But somehow, it brings some sort of familiarity and he retorts. “Let’s push you on your back and put something in your ass, see how you like that.”

Ren grins, showing a lot of teeth and his finger finally presses in. Hux doesn’t yelp but his body does jerk before going completely tense again. The grin disappears from Ren’s face and is replaced by a deep frown.

For a second, he has thoughtful expression before he leans closer. Hux has enough time to turn away but he doesn’t.

The feeling of lips on his own is not a completely strange feeling – he is not absolutely inexperienced – but it’s a different kiss from any Hux’s ever had. It’s tense but the Ren’s lips are soft. It’s not unlike two strangers meeting for the first time. Indecisive and slow, at first, they both are just getting used to feeling. It’s almost nice.

Then, Ren opens his mouth and nips with his teeth on Hux’s lower lip. It sends sparkles down Hux’s spine. This is definitely nice. But his hand is still shaking when he, hesitant, puts it on Ren’s head. His hair are soft and pliant under his touch. Ren growls deep in his throat, encouragement, and so Hux runs his fingers through them. He parts his lips with the same hesitation and this time, it’s him who groans into the kiss as Ren goes deeper with his tongue, exploring and tasting every corner of Hux.

It’s surprisingly easier to relax with Ren’s whole body pressed into his, especially when his hand moves away from Hux’s ass, to his thigh and caresses it while Ren presses his other hand into the pillow under Hux, right by his side, leaning on it. Everything about Ren is huge, his hand is wrapping around almost all of the width of the omega’s tigh, his tongue big in his mouth.

His body is hot, giving Hux the warmth he didn’t know he craved. There is still shame in Hux’s guts but he tells himself he should take all the pleasure he can from this. His body shakes again when Ren presses against him enough for their cocks to be pressed against one another. Ren’s dick is already hard and Hux is getting there as well, and the omega moans.

Ren chuckles but it sounds more pleased than mocking. He breaks the kiss and nips on Hux’s lower lip again, making the man underneath him whimper pleasure. He moves down and bites him along his jaw to his neck, getting harsher with each and every of the bites. Hux is surprised that he likes the little pain. He doesn’t even realize what he’s doing when he jerks his hips forward, searching for the friction between them and finding it easily. Both men moan.

“Are you sure you are a virgin, Colonel?” Ren asks him, staring at him with intensity and desire. Now, he has both hands on Hux’s hips. The omega finds he is quite fond of the way hands feel on his own slander frame.

“Are you doubting the purity with which I entered this union, Lord Ren?” Hux asks cockily.

Ren grins again and only says: “Feisty,” before he takes one Hux’s nipples into his mouth.

The omega groans under him, some remains of his tension melting away.

Hs heart is still beating fast in his chest but now it’s more from anticipation and agitation than fear and nervousness though Hux still can’t fully relax. He won’t relax. He also makes sure no matter how pleasurable Ren’s touches are, he doesn’t take his eyes off him.

Ren does the same. Even from his position on Hux chest, he stares at the omega intensively.

The lube on his fingers doesn’t dry off but Ren still reaches for the tube again and pours some on his fingers. “You are smart.”

“Why do you sound so surprised?” Hux smirks.

The smile on Ren’s lips is almost mysterious. He places his fingers to Hux’s entrance again. This time, redhead doesn’t jerk and forces his body to relax even more. He feels his toes curl in suspense. Ren is still staring at him, now without any expression on his face but intensity in his eyes. Hux can’t bear this look and lowers his gaze, pretending to be very interested in the blanket on the bed.

The alpha doesn’t comment on it. Insead, he pushes in. His fingers are big but only one isn’t enough for Hux to feel anything other than discomfort at the unfamiliar feeling. He’s wet and with combination with the lube, it goes in smoothly and easily.

He still gulps. He feels more exposed now, maybe because Ren leaned backwards to have better access and his body is not longer pressed against Hux’s. Maybe because now Ren has all of his body on display like on a silver plate.

“Breathe,” Ren mutters.

Hux didn’t even realize his breathing was getting fast and shallow until the alpha spoke.

“Easy for you to say,” he grits his teeth. He wants to push Ren away from his body and cover himself with the blanket.

Why is this so much harder than the kissing, he asks himself. It’s just one body touching another. He’s hard. This should be easy.

He jerks once more when Ren touches his thigh and caresses it. The touch is supposed to be soothing. Hux can’t remember anyone ever touching him like that, he never thought he would or that he wanted. The last person he’d expect this from is Kylo Ren.

He bursts out a hysterical laugh again, and again, Ren looks at him as if he’d grown a second head. He uses the moment of Hux’s distraction to push in a second finger. Hux bites his lip and feels a drop of sweat move from his forehead across his cheek.

He forces his body to relax and tries not to think about how the same man who has choked him not even two days ago is now knuckles deep inside him. He wishes he truly drank some alcohol before this or that he’d at least played some music. Whatever would do to fill the silence instead of the wet, obscene sound of Ren fingering him.

To be fair, nothing that Ren does, hurts. He moves in and out slowly, in steady rhythm. Even if Hux has never done this before, he knows the basics. He knows this is supposed to be pleasurable for both parties, yet when Ren’s fingers finally find that spot in him and makes him moan in surprise and his body to shudder in pleasure.

He doesn’t realize he closed his eyes until he has to open them to look at Ren. The alpha is starting, his pupils wide and the corners of his lips curled slightly. Hux feels heat in his ears and cheeks.

“Fuck off,” he says angrily, hoping it’ll make him feel more in control.

Ren doesn’t say anything. Instead, without any warning, he leans down and takes Hux’s cock in his mouth. Hux moans loudly at the heat and bites his lower lip when Ren’s hand starts to move inside him again.

It’s too much, the pleasure. Hux‘s always considered pleasuring himself a loss of precious time and rarely does it. He watches Ren sucking his cock with lust and fascination that’s alien to him as the alpha sends waves of pleasure through his body. 

When Ren presses the right spot inside him with his fingers, he also lowers down on the omega’s cock at the same time. Hux bites harder on his lower lip, enough to draw blood as he feels his cock pressing on the back of Ren’s throat.

The man doesn’t choke. He just hollows his cheeks and sucks him deeply. He doesn’t choke at all and the pleasure is agonizing and Hux stops breathing so he doesn’t moan. This is somehow worse than what he imagined. He’s just laying there with his legs spread, essentially enjoying his own rape.

He feels dirty and the image of Brendol laughing in his face on seeing him like this makes him let out a choked sound. Without really knowing what’s he doing, he pushes Ren away. His teeth scratch on his cock, making him let out a surprised yelp. The strength he pushes Ren away with surprises even himself as the alpha ends up on the opposite side of bed.

Hux can’t stop himself from putting even more distance between them as he crawls backwards until he feels his back pressed against the head of the bed and the bedside table. His hands are gripping on the pillow and, feeling ridiculous, he puts the pillow into his lap as if that could protect him from the alpha.

Ren’s face is twisted in irritation but he doesn’t move back towards Hux yet. “You are only prolonging this!” he hisses and there is a hint of  _ alpha  _ in his voice. It makes Hux’s body shake violently.

“I know,” Hux admits because he does. But his body doesn’t listen to him. The fact is as scary as the man that’s on the bed with him.

His admission only makes Ren angrier. “Then why are you acting like this?! Do you think I enjoy this?! Do you think you are the one I would have chosen to fuck? No, of fucking course not! But you acting like this is only making it harder for yourself and making me have to force you!”

The shouting is so loud, Hux can swear he feels the vibration from the intensity of the sound in his chest. Ren’s face is twisted in fury his fists are clenched and his chest is moving up and down as he breathes heavily.

“Don’t you fucking think I don’t know that?” Hux snaps right back. “I just want this to be over with as much as you do!”

“Then why don’t you make this at least bearable for both of us?!!”

“Because that’s exactly how it’s not supposed to be!” Hux’s own breathing is heavy with the fury he unleashes. “I know we will have to do it tonight either way but it’s supposed to be violent and messy and you are supposed to make it hurt!”

Ren narrows his eyes. “If hurt and force is everything you need for it to be bearable for you, for it to be finally over with, I can do that but only if I know it’s the best way you want to do this.”

Hux laughs. It’s not hysterical but there is no real joy in it, only bitterness. “I don’t want this at all,” he spits without thinking.

Ren glares again, anger flashing behind his eyes. Hux knows immediately that was wrong thing to say – they already established that neither of them want this. Holding the fact that Hux doesn’t want this against him is counterproductive.

Before the alpha can speak, he quickly says in the same bitter tone: “But neither do you.”

His words seem to put down the fire in Ren’s eyes slightly.

For a moment, the room falls into uncomfortable silence. The first one to move is Hux this time. With his heart beating fast in his chest, he moves closer to Ren. The sound of the skin sliding on the bed sheets fills the room.

“If you want me to force you, I can do that,” Ren says in surprisingly quiet voice that sounds almost seductive.

Hux thinks about the answer for a second before he decides to be honest. “I don’t know how I want this.” I don’t know if forcing me will be better.

“I could use a mind trick on you,” Ren says, matter-of-fact, and he’s trying to keep any emotions from his voice but Hux can hear the nervousness.

It’s what’s keeping him from snapping at the alpha straight away in refusal.

As he thinks about the suggestion, he wrinkles his nose. “I thought only weak minded people could be influenced.”

He does not like the implication of what Ren is offering.

Ren smirks slightly. “That’s true. But if you’re willing, perhaps it’ll make things easier for you and your mind is strong enough to break free if…”

Ren doesn’t finish the sentence but Hux knows what he means. And while the omega is not fond of the idea of Ren probing inside his head and ordering him around a part of him admits that it would’ve been… easier. It might not seem that way, but Hux has no problem with authority if it’s working properly – his father is an exception. He respects the chain of command and that Supreme Leader’s will comes before anything else. Technically, Ren’s rank is above him as Supreme Leader’s apprentice. If he thinks about it, this is nothing but another mission he’s been appointed to and Ren is his superior that he needs to listen to.

Hux would lie if he said this sits completely well with him but he supposes it’s better than anything else.

“Alright,” he nods, managing to keep his voice from trembling.

“I will make it as fast as possible,” Ren promises and Hux wants to laugh again because the idea of anyone wanting to come fast and even promising such is ridiculous. Though, given their circumstances, it might be true.

“Take a deep breath and clear your mind,” Ren speaks again and it’s not in the voice filled with Force, at least not yet.

Hux gives him a short nod and closes his eyes. He doesn’t like not seeing what Ren’s doing but he also doesn’t want to look at the other man. There is a long moment where neither does anything as Hux is trying to calm down and relax.

“Lie down.”

This time, Hux feels the power in Ren’s voice. It’s a mixture of the voice of an alpha there and also something else the omega can’t quite describe. It’s like a very strong nudge, tugging on his mind, that he should and wants to do what the man asks for but he doesn’t feel any obligation to do so and knows he could easily resist the order.

He lies down without opening his eyes. He thinks if he did, the spell would be broken and he would only panic again.

“Good,” the praise comes without warning and even though Ren is talking in the same, nervous, deep voice, Hux feels pleasant heat washing all over him. It’s not an order, yet it makes him want to comply to Ren so much more.

“Spread your legs,” it’s a request as well as a warning and Hux complies without questions. A dark part of him hopes Ren will call him good again.

The alpha touches his knee lightly but his hands are hot and rough and Hux gulps, tilting his head back against the pillow. He opens his eyes but doesn’t dare to look at Ren or what the man is doing.

This time, the alpha doesn’t try to make things pleasurable. He lets his hand to move back to Hux’s entrance and pushes in with the simple intention of preparing him.

A breath hitches in Hux’s throat and, immediately, there is Ren’s other hand pressing against his chest but not pushing. “Stay calm. Breathe.”

Hux stays calm and breathes.

Ren stretches him with two fingers now. It’s uncomfortable but Hux wouldn’t have it any other way. Right now, he prefers it over the unbearable pleasure.

“Good,” the alpha murmurs and Hux melts under the combination of his alpha voice and the Force in it. He feels his dick twitch and gulps, nervously waiting for Ren’s reaction because there’s no way the man didn’t see the reaction.

Ren adds third finger and opens him slowly while caressing Hux’s chest with the other hand.

“Good,” he repeats and Hux knows he noticed because this time. It sounds more like an actual praise than just a statement.

And he knows he told Ren he doesn’t want to enjoy this in any kind of way. But the praise is filling his belly with butterflies and his heartbeat fasten with something that’s not fear or agitation. It’s sweet and poisonous and Hux doesn’t want Ren to stop.

“Stay calm,” Ren orders as he pulls out his fingers.

Hux feels tension building up in his guts again but he’s not in the stage of complete fright as he was before. He looks up at Ren this time, though – he doesn’t want the man to enter him without Hux watching out for any signs of danger.

The alpha is looking at him with blown pupils and fascination. Hux lets his look roam over Ren’s body and for the first time, at least partly, enjoys what he sees. Ren is strong, physically fit and pleasant to look at. Hux supposes he could have ended up with someone worse. He watches with fascination as Ren’s body moves closer, it’s muscles doing the work.

“Relax,” the alpha says as he lines up his cock at Hux’s entrance.

Hux listens to him and relaxes but nothing in the world could prepare him for the monstrosity of Ren’s cock. It’s thick and long and even with the preparation, it feels like he filled Hux to the brim when he’s only a few inches in and while it doesn’t hurt per se, it’s a very uncomfortable feeling and Hux writhes under Ren until the larger man puts a hand on his hips.

“Easy,” the alpha says through gritted teeth. It’s almost funny how Ren now speaks only in simple, short words as if he’s trying to focus.

Hux forces his body to relax and by the time Ren is fully in, they both are trembling and sweat is dropping from their bodies. It’s disgusting and uncomfortable and the way the omega’s dick is pressing against Ren’s belly is humiliating and Hux can’t stop the harsh whine that escapes him.

The alpha presses his body against Hux’s, resting his chin on the redhead’s shoulder. His breath is hard as it plays with the hair behind Hux’s ears.

“You’re doing so well,” Ren whispers, Force and alpha in his voice, and Hux doesn’t think he’s ever heard any words that would’ve made him so happy.

He lets his mind shower in the praise in its warmth and another whimpers escapes him but he tries to muffle it against Ren’s neck, pressing closer. With the sweat and the sex in the air, the alpha smells surprisingly nice.

“I’m going to move now,” Ren warns breathlessly.

Nothing could prepare Hux for the feeling of Ren pulling half-way out before pushing back in. He grits his teeth to keep himself from moaning and without meaning to, his hands try to find something to hold on to before they end up on Ren’s shoulders, nail digging in. The alpha doesn’t complain though.

Ren’s movements are jerky and he’s panting hard, as if it’s hard for him to keep slow pace. The omega imagines the powerful alpha slamming into him with all his might and there’s something about the roughness of the fantasy that makes him bite into his lower lip and thrust his hips down, meeting with Ren’s in the movement.

Hux grunts when Ren’s cock finally brushes against the spot inside him.

“Harder,” he hears himself say before he can stop it, low and ashamed.

For a second, Ren stops as if in surprise, then, he complies and thrusts his hips down, faster than before and Hux sees black spots from the pleasure. He whines loudly, digging his nails even deeper into Ren’s skin.

“Yes,” Ren murmurs in Hux’s ear and the smaller man shivers at the feeling of hot breath and the word that’s close enough to a praise.

The pace is not quite punishing and a part of Hux wishes Ren would go harder but he doesn’t voice his wish. He already feels like this is too much. Ren’s movements inside him are harsh, the friction making Hux hot all over and it’s clear he relies more on his power than any kind of technique but there’s something animalistic that makes Hux’s own dick hard and he hits the spot that sends wave of pleasure through his body with every thrust of his hips.

Hux doesn’t want to come but when he feels the tension building up in his underbelly, he can’t stop the whine that escapes him and can’t keep his hand from touching himself. Ren is sucking on the skin of Hux’s neck, hard, and biting and licking, making Hux squirm underneath him with the need to beg for more.

When Hux comes, it’s like a little shock – his body tenses up and, closing his eyes tight, he comes all over his and Ren’s stomach. His body goes limp afterwards and as he’s trying to catch his breath, Ren comes as well. The feeling of the liquid inside him doesn’t quite send him into panic but the image of him being pregnant flashes through his mind. Soon after, the realization of what just happened settles in his mind and the pleasure and warm-tiredness is replaced by cold shame and humiliation.

It’s illogical. He didn’t do anything wrong but he feels his body jerk when Ren pulls out, leaving Hux empty and filled at the same time. He feels exposed and bare and his hand squeezes the pillow in his hand, trying to fight the urge to cover himself with it.

Ren is watching him in his quiet meltdown with a frown.

“Calm down,” he says again as if he was talking to a cornered animal, his voice all alpha and Force again.

The sex is over. They didn’t agree on Ren doing it even afterwards and if Hux wanted, he could shake it off and go to the bathroom to spend the next two hours in the shower, trying to wash away the feeling of filthiness on his skin and the shame. Instead, he lets the voice coach him and feels his heartbeat slow down.

Ren is still watching him with those dark eyes and for once, Hux has no idea what’s going on behind them.

“Sleep,” the alpha tells him.

Hux doesn’t even feel the slightest fight left in him and so he slips quickly under the covers, not bothering to dress up, presses his knees to his chest and closes his eyes. For several seconds, he hears Ren move behind his back, getting ready to sleep himself, until the mattress shifts under his weight as he settles down.

Hux falls asleep into the sound of Ren’s breathing, stubbornly ignoring the guilt that has settled in his stomach.


End file.
